Kaze to Tomoni
by Shimotsuki no Miko
Summary: "The Legend of Bird Person had not finished yet..." Only a month after the Tolumekian invasion, Lord Yupa and Asbel return to the Valley, bringing a second part of the prophecy with them. With a foreign prince after her, will Nausicaä to find this mysterious knight and win over her Darkness? COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1: Yokoku no Akumu

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Right, this is my go for a Nausicaa fanfic; I hope you'll enjoy it! Note, that this story is based upon the **_**film**_** and not the manga, though there might be some traights from the manga here and there, so don't be surprised! I hope I get all characters right...  
><strong>**Also, because I had first planed to write this fanfic in japanese (but didn't because I'm lousy at writing in jp), the chapter titles and some words in the story will be in japanese... But don't worry! I'll put translation notes!**

**Disclaimer: OK, OK. I know you're itching to start reading, but this has to come: I DO NOT own "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind"! Miyazaki-sensei and Totoro-chan do! I own the plot and OCs, though!**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**"Kaze to tomoni": Along with the wind  
><strong>**Hime-sama: Princess. In the original, they all call Nausicaa like that.  
><strong>**-sama: a suffix used when speaking to a person you respect (or just out of politeness)  
><strong>**Arigatou: thank you**

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><p>Chapter 1: Yokoku no Akumu ~ A Premonitory Nightmare~<p>

_Nausicaä was running. Running for her life, deep into the Sea of Decay. Fear clung to her, she had no idea why or from whom she was running from. All she knew was that she had to escape._

_She passed trees, fungi and insects without realizing, everything passing like a blur as she sped towards... nowhere._

_She had been following an Ohmu path; she turned at a bend to find her path blocked by and Ohmu shell. She spun desprately around for an escape route. There! A side path. She darted towards it without hesitation and started to climb, for it began to become steep. _

_She was beginning to see the top, when her foot slipped in something slimy and she stumbled. She felt a sudden sharp pain coming from her foot and she gasped, making her fall, this time for good. She looked down to see crimson blood flowing out of a gash at her ankle._

_Despretely, she tried to stand up, but toppled to the ground again with a scream of pain. Her already beating heart began to beat even faster as she heard running footsteps. Clutching her injured ankle, she raised her head and saw, with shock: an exact copy of herself, only with raven black hair and a pair of leathery wings sprouting from the back; covered in blood from head to foot, human and insect blood alike, clutching a likewise bloodstained sword in her bare hands. But the Nausicaä infront of her wore an expression which the real Nausicaä would never have worn: a malicious, murderous one, an expression of pleasure in killing._

_Her eyes widened in horror at the sight of the before-standing person. Her own nut-brown eyes were captured by the blood-red gaze of her horrifying counterpart and when the monster raised the sword, she could not either move or look away, paralyzed by fear or the gaze she didn't know._

_But then she heard somebody call her name. _

_She was able to snap her gaze from the murdering princess as a blurred figure skidded between her and the other one, catching her by surprise. But the counter-part soon recovered and began to attack the newcomer. As they fought, he shouted to the shocked Nausicaä to run while he held her back, he turned his head to look at her. And she recognized him._

_But the next second, a blade pierced him in the stomach, going right through. As he fell, Nausicaä screamed._

_"ASBEL!"_

Nausicaä snapped her eyes open, gasping. She sat up, heart racing as if she _had been_ running. She was sweating all over, her orange-red hair matted and sticking to her neck and forehead.

"Asbel!" she whispered.

Then she felt a soft nudge in her hand. She looked down to see Teto, her faithful fox-squirel companion, nudging her hand as if in concern. Her eyes softened and with it, her heartbeat gradually calmed down. The fox-squirel climbed up her arm and came to rest on her shoulder, his favourite and accustomed place. She began to scratch his head affectionately.

"Teto." she said. "I'm all right. It was only a nightmare."

_'Only a nightmare'_, she repeated, as if to reassure herself.

She looked around her room and saw from the window that it was dawn. Knowing that attempting to get back to sleep was useless, she climbed ot of bed and slipped her usual light blue dress, belt with pouch and leggings.

Done this, Nausicaä slowly descended the stairs to the main castle. As she had expected, the other castle dwellers were still sound asleep. And so were the kitchens.

So she decided to go to the balcony outside to see the sunrise.

As she came outside, a slight chill greeted her, making her shiver.

"Autumn is sure to come soon." she said, rubbing her hands to her shoulders and arms.

Teto, who had obviously come along, sensed his mistress's slight discomfort and rubbed himself against her neck. Nausicaä smiled. Her pet seemed to be becoming more and more devoted to her each day.

"_Arigatou_, Teto." she whispered the small animal and caressed his head.

Toghether they watched the sun rise and bathe the Valley with it's orangey beams of warmth. Watching this, Nausicaä thought how much the Valley had recovered from the past events.

It had been two months since the Tolmekians' invasion and the Ohmu stampede. In a space of a month, the Tolmekians had retreated and the Valley's people, along the Pejites, had begun to rebuild the torn buildings and the burned forest. Nausicaä remembered reminiscently the initial shock and then joy when Asbel had asked on behalf of his people if they could stay in the Valley. She had consented immediately, without hesitation, and for the past months the two kingdoms had rebuilt and healed from the past with exceptional speed and steadiness, more than she herself had hoped for.

When things had begun to stabilize, Lord Yupa had departed along with Asbel for who knows what explorations, leaving Nausicaä and Asbel's mother, Eharu, in charge.

Nausicaä sighed. _'I wonder what Asbel's doing. I bet he's having fun, helping out Yupa-sama and all... Augh, it's so unfair!'_ she thought, cheeks puffing.

She had always been longing to go and help Lord Yupa with his researches.

_'But now look at me: cornered with all sorts of duties! And_ he_, who should also be busy with his prince's duties, runs off with Yupa-sama!'_

She gave another deep sigh. _'I guess that's how fate is.'_

"What are you sighing about, child?" an old voice croaked just behind her.

Nausicaä jumped out of fright and turned to see the old seer inches before her.

"Obaba-sama! You frightened me out of my wits!" she said surprised. "Anyway, why are you up so early?"

The old woman chuckled at the princess's reaction.

"The same reason as you, dear child." she responded.

Each time Nausicaä asked something to the seer, she would get an answer which only doubled her questions.

"Have... have you been seeing nightmares too, Obaba-sama?" she asked, surprised at her slight trembling voice. Why was she afraid? Indeed, _was_ she afraid? Or was it something else?

The short woman nodded deeply. "Yes, indeed. But I think it was slightly different from yours, Nausicaä."

Nausicaä stared at Obaba with an expression of mingled surprise and fascination. This woman never failed to surprise the princess.

"How can you tell?" she whispered.

As if sensing the girl's stare, the seer looked up, even if she was blind, and chuckled again.

"Being blind is quite disabling, but it brings many good things, such as refined intuition and, indeed, the Eyesight, my child." she rasped. Then, coming back to the topic, she said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

The old crone could tell her anything, but Nausicaä had the feeling that Obaba knew already what her nightmare had been. At the thought of it, she shivered again, even though having nothing to do with the chill. She let herself lean onto the wall and gazed down again at the Valley.

"No." she said. "It's probably something meaningless. But thank you anyway, Obaba-sama."

"Are you sure?" Obaba prodded. "You know, many dreams, as wells as nightmares, have always something of fortunetelling. Indeed, some are down right premonitions, giving you a glimpse of what is to become in the future."

Premonitions. Nausicaä's eyes widened as she rembered those murderful red eyes and... Asbel.

Terror gripped her heart again and she began to shiver again. She tried to get rid of the frightful flashbacks of the dream by shaking her head furiously.

"Obaba-sama, I-" she began to say, but was interrupted.

"Hime-sama, Obaba-sama, good morning!"

She and Obaba turned to see Mito, waving a hand, coming out greet them. As usual, he was in high good spirits.

"Good morning, Mito!" the princess greeted the old man. As did Obaba.

As Mito came forward to them, he too began to shiver and muttered, "Heavens, it's freezing!".

Nausicaä laughed at the comical reaction of Mito and said, "Yes, you're right. We should be preparing to take in the harvest before winter catches us!"

To this Mito nodded. "We are already preparing, Hime-sama. The harvest is due to start in two days."

The young princess smiled and began to descend a flight of stairs. "Good, I'll leave you in charge of the supervisions!"

"Hime-sama, where are you going! You're not going to the Toxic Jungle, are you!" Mito called after.

Nausicaä stopped to look back at her man-servant and the old seer and waved a hand, then sprinted off to prepare her flight.

Nausicaa sped off onto top of her _Mehve_ towards through the deserts and towards the margins of the Toxic Jungle.

Ever since she and Asbel had discovered the underground caves in which the air was clean to breath, she had been visiting the place and jungle more and more often. She wanted to discover, she wanted to better understand the forest...

She had indeed made great discoveries: a cure to prevent people from getting sick with the poison; now she was trying to find a way to cure the people who _already_ have been contaminated.

When she had arrived at the margin of the deadly forest, she landed. She let Teto quickly inside her shirt, took her flare gun, and ventured into the jungle.

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><p><strong>Did you like it? I hope you did. Because I started to write this story about a month ago, I'll be able to update soon enough; about once in a week. First fanfic, so please be a dear and review! ^_^<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Saikai to Densetsu no Tsuzuki

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Here comes the long waited continuation of the prophecy! Tried to do it as realistic as possible; I pratically translated the first part from the original, so it might differ from version you've heard. I popped in some refrences to Laputa (yeah, I know the two films aren't related, but...).**

**Disclaimer: Miyazaki-sensei and Totoro-chan own "Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä" (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind) and "Tenkuu no Shiro: Laputa" (The Castle in the Sky).**

**Translation Notes:**

**ShinLaputa: lit. New Laputa**

**Oyasumi/-nasai: Goodnight**

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><p>Chapter 2: Saikai to Densetsu no Tsuzuki ~ Reunions and the Second Part of the Prophecy ~<p>

After an hour, Nausicaä was already returning to the Valley. As she landed, Mito came up to her all excited.

"Hime-sama, _they_ have come! They have returned!" he said with joy, pointing towards the courtyard of the castle.

_'No...!'_ she thought, in disbelief.

She didn't need further saying; the next moment she had thrown herself towards the courtyard, heart racing with excitement. She turned a corner and... there they were: both, travel-worn, but well, with the two horseclaws and a crowd of people surrounding them.

"YUPA-SAMA! ASBEL!" she cried and threw herself onto a heavily moustached man, hugging him tightly.

"Nausicaä! It's good to see you!" The swordsman cried and returned her embrace.

"And you too, Yupa-sama!"

They disengaged and Lord Yupa gave her a better look. "Heavens, I do believe you have grown, my dear! How have you been doing in the past month?"

Nausicaä smiled to Lord Yupa. "Oh, Yupa-sama! I can't have grown that much, as you said it has been only a month. Anyway, things are getting on splendidly! We've been making many progresses and..."

She broke off as her gaze fell upon the figure behind Lord Yupa.

"As..bel?" she asked uncertainly.

The young man raised a hand in greeting. "Hey! Come on, are you telling me you don't recognize me after only a _month_!"

Asbel _had_ changed, in some ways, and in others he was the same Pejite prince Nausicaä knew. His travel clothes were worn and he still wore that strange hat of his. His arms and chest seemed to have become more muscular, but his dark brown hair, kind brown eyes and scruffy appearances were the same as ever. But one big thing had changed. He had become more attractive... more...

_'...handsome...'_ the princess thought. She struggled to keep of an oncoming blush in check.

To hide this, she quickly stepped towards Asbel and hugged him tightly. He had also grown taller, now surpassing Nausicaä by a few inches.

"No," she said, her voice muffled by his shoulder. "no, you haven't changed a bit, Asbel."

He too wound his arms around her.

"It's good to be back." he said as they too disentagled themselves.

"How come you're back so soon?" Nausicaä asked the pair of them. "We thought you'd come back in one or two years time."

Lord Yupa laughed heartily to the last statement.

"Ah, that was our _initial_ plan, my dear. But, before we sweep you into our adventurous tale, it would be best to rest and drop off all the dirt of the long journey."

Nausicaä nodded. "Yes, of course. I'm sorry, you two must be exhausted and I'm already pestering you with questions!"

All laughed merrily and Nausicaä showed them into the castle.

Evening came and, naturally, for the Valley's people had been itching to hear Lord Yupa's stories, Nausicaä had a banquet thrown for the two newcomers.

She had changed into her more smart and formal attire: the white dress, blue belt and jeweled headdress. And inevitably, walking down the corridors to the banquet hall, passer-bys honed her with compliments about her looks. She smiled and thanked them, then set off again, occasionally being delayed again with further compliments. When she finally reached the hall's double doors, the feast had seemingly already started. Trying, and miserably failing, into hushen up the hungry squeaks of Teto, she entered the hall as quiet as possible, so as not to draw attention to herself and also because she didn't want to disturb the merry chattering and feasting.

But even to this she had quite failed in doing.

"Well, well. Running away, are we?" she heard a voice from behind and hand descended onto her shoulder, making her jump.

She turned to see Asbel, grinning broadly.

"Asbel!" she cried. "I'm not running away, or anything. Anyway, how did you notice me?"

Which was true. Though she didn't want brag or something, she was quite skilled in being stealthy and unnoticed.

"Well," the Pejite prince said, and looked pointedly at her. "it wasn't that hard. I mean, you don't see every day a lovely girl in white scurrying along the walls like a stealthy cat, not to mention with a fox-squirel on her shoulder."

Nausicaä, blushing slightly at the compliment, grimaced to herself. "I knew it, something _was_ wrong."

And shot a glance at Teto, who gave her a squeak as a reply.

"What?" Asbel asked, confused.

"Oh, nothing!" she chimed happily. Then she added in a rather teasing voice, "You weren't waiting for me, were you Asbel?"

She had expected a clear no. But when the answer came and was the exact opposite, a yes, her teasing grin faltered.

"Mind to tell me why?"she asked.

Asbel smiled at her and took her by the hand. "Come on, even a month's adventure is worth telling, don't you think?"

Nausicaä blinked, then laughed lightly. This was Asbel, her friend: always cheerful, funny and warm.

Both smiling, Asbel led her to Lord Yupa and the others who were waiting for her. As they passed through the crowds, Nausicaä's loosened grip slightly tightened on Asbel's warm hand.

When they reached the others, in a side room, Nausicaä found Lord Yupa, Mito and Obaba waiting for the two, sitting around the a pleasantly crackling fire. Plates and goblets were beside Mito and Lord Yupa, while Obaba was curled up in her usual cloak.

"Ah, Nausicaä, Asbel! We've being waiting for you." Lord Yupa said, turning to look at them.

They nodded and seated themselves around the fire; Nausicaä between Obaba and Mito while Asbel sat next to his master. They were handed food and drink, Asbel accepted it with gratitude and began to wolf up the hole meal. Nausicaä was not equally hungry, and after a few bites here and there she left her ravenous fox-squirel to finish the rest.

"Well? Are you going to keep us on the edge for long?" Mito asked Lord Yupa and Asbel, taking a sip from his goblet. "Let us hear your wonderous adventure, eh?"

They laughed, and Asbel started telling.

"All right, here we go: After we left the Valley, we headed towards Pejite, because we wanted to check on the city for useful things. It was about two weeks of journey. When we arrived, Pejite had already started to mutate into a part the Sea of Decay, but the majority of the buildings were still standing. We searched for anything useful, but found only one thing." he said, and suddenly his expression hardened. "As we searched the undergrounds where the God Warrior had been discovered, there was an earthquake. It brought down a good chunk of the cavern wall, revealing something astonishing."

"What was it?" Stead fastened by their tale, Nausicaä managed to breath. Her eyes never left Asbel one moment.

"We found ruins of a city named ShinLaputa, a city that had existed eons before the Seven Days of Fire." Asbel said.

Everyone was silent, only the crackling of the fire was to be heard.

Lord Yupa took on the recounting and described the newly discovered ruins. "The city was in perfect condition; little was destroyed or damaged because of the strong stone structures of the buildings and the favourable dry climate. We even found a library filled with still legible scrolls. The citizens had left no sign of a struggle, attack or even of moving out of the city. The houses are still complete with furniture, hadn't it been for the thick layers of dust, it would have looked as if they had just disappeared a moment before. These people seemed to have developed, from what we discovered, a very elevated civilization with much culture."

"But there is something else we found out in those ruins. At the heart of the citadel was a temple, and that temple, ancient as it was, contained a slab of stone on which a prophecy and over it, a tapestry of the history that was to become: The Seven Days of Fire, the birth of the Sea of Decay and the blue savior."

To this everyone's heads snapped up to look at Lord Yupa. But they remained silent, waiting the swordsman's next words.

But before he could carry on, Obaba, who had until now remained quite still, raised her head a few inches from her chest and gave out a long _'Ahh_', to which earned her the attention of the rest.

"So they had foreseen this..." she rasped.

"No," Lord Yupa said.

The four people around the fire returned their attention to him.

"What do you mean, Yupa-sama." Nausicaä asked.

Again, he sook his head. "No. They did not _foresee_, they _knew_ that it would happen. According to their chronicles of history, the blue savior had risen already twice from their people. They witnessed a third apparition of the savior, a hundred years after the second, and realized that just one person could not bring peace between man and nature eternally; so every time the old savior died, a new one would rise and renew the pact between the two major races. The ShinLaputians called this entity as '_The Guardian'_."

"Being a highly advanced civilization, they were able to foresee future happenings in millions of years ahead. They came to know of the Seven Days of Fire and the Toxic Jungle with the insects. So they created the stone slab, knowing that probably their knowledge would not be passed on, for the future Guardians. But probably someone knew of the Prophesized Ones and let the knowledge pass on, as it has arrived to us today, though altered from truth to legend and from multiple to a single 'Blue Clad One'."

Lord Yupa made a small interruption, sipping his goblet of wine. All others watched in silence and waited for him to continue.

Nausicaä had listened intently, swallowing and digesting every single piece of information.

_'There had been others before me...'_ she thought, in disbelief. She stared at hands. _'I'm not the only one who has a great destiny and such a huge responsibility!'_

She suddenly felt as if something heavy had been lifted high upwards, freeing her from a burden she hadn't realized she even had.

Lord Yupa cleared his throat, though there was no need for: Nausicaä, Asbel, Mito and Obaba had been waiting patiently.

"On the slab, of which language thankfully survived through the ages, there was a kind of warning, which I suspect was the origin of the prophecy of today. It starts as ours does: _After thousand years that person will come, clad in blue and surrounded by golden fields; that person will renew the bonds with the Earth and lead the people to the Land of Purity_. A second verse follows: _But that person will have to battle against his, or her, own Darkness. Fail and the world is doomed. Knight, you who are the Blue Clad One's heart and soul's companion; save that person from the Darkness and together, lead the people in the Light._"

Everyone was now looking at Nausicaä.

"But..." she stammered, unable to think. "But you said yourself that there had been others before me! Why does this prophecy refer only to me!"

The swordsman let out a deep grumble and with a stock, shifted the logs in the fire, but remained utterly mute. Instead, Asbel spoke up.

"We don't really know." he said, staring at the fire. "We think that you are the last '_Guardian_' in the line, the one who's going to finish the legend."

Nausicaä simply stared at him. Then, taking a shaky breath, she said, "Just to make things clearer: Before I renew the bond with the Earth and lead the people to this Land of Purity, I'm going to have to fight this Darkness, right?"

Lord Yupa nodded.

"But a knight, who's going to be my heart and soul's companion, will help or save me from this Darkness of mine and with me will lead humanity in the Light." She finished.

She frowned and looked up to Lord Yupa.

"What is the meaning of '_heart and soul's companion_'?" she asked. "It's not as if I'm going to fall in love with this knight, am I?"

At this she blushed slightly.

"You are. Your fate and heart are intertwined with the one of this knight."

In hearing the words of her former master, Nausicaä blinked once, then dropped her gaze to the fire, dumbstruck and slightly embaressed. She willed herself not to look at Asbel.

Next moment she scowled to herself. '_What's Asbel go to do with this?'_

She soon abandoned the thought when the Mito said, "It's late; Lord Yupa and Asbel are sure to be tired. Why don't go all to bed, get some refreshing sleep and talk about this tomorrow, eh?"

The other four agreed, some heartily, others somewhat grudgingly, and began to disappears and head towards their respective chambers. Nausicaä was the first to leave; with quiet '_Goodnight_'s she left the room, next were Lord Yupa and Asbel.

As they trudged up the stone stairs, Asbel, who had noted Nausicaä's sudden quietness, called after her. Lord Yupa made to stop him, better thought better of it.

"Nausicaä!"

She stopped just before the door to her room, hand on the doorknob, and turned to see Asbel walking towards her.

"Yes?"she asked.

When he had reached her, he halted, somewhat speechless. Then he said, "Um, nothing in particular. Are you all right, Nausicaä? You seem, er, a bit down."

Sensing his concern, Nausicaä scolded herself. '_Look at you! You're all ready making people worried and concerned! Especially him!'_ She blinked at this thought, but then choose ignored it. Of course she had thought about him! He was her friend!

She forced on a smile. "I'm all right, Asbel. I'm probably tired, that's all. But thank you for asking."

Again she saw a flash of concern cross his face. It was a feeble lie, she knew it, and he too seemed to have seen threw this frail curtain of concealment. She could have told him, but she didn't want to further burden him.

Thankfully, he over looked this.

"All right. Well, _oyasumi_, Nausicaä." he said.

"_Oyasuminasai_, Asbel." she returned.

She watched him go down the corridor, turn and vanish out of sight. She sighed and leaned against the door.

"I'm such a liar. Such a coward." she whispered to herself and closed her eyes.

What she felt was both complicated and simple. She felt as if something heavy had sunk deep into her, soon after she heard the second verse. She had thought that the difficult part of the prophecy was over, but now had discovered that she was far from it. Then, there was the thing about this Darkness. What was it? What kind of Darkness will await her in the near future? And finally, the mysterious knight. What of him? Nausicaä couldn't tell whether or not it bothered her that she will fall for this person; but it _did _bother her that her heart was actually _destined_ for a certain person and that she couldn't fall in love freely and with whomever it pleased her...

_'And anyway,'_ she thought, chewing her lip. _'I didn't even _ask_ for help. How much faith does fate have in me, I wonder...'_

She retreated to her room and was asleep in moments.


	3. Chapter 3: Mezameru Omoi part I

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Had to break up this chapter into two parts because they became too long! And of course, I just **_**had**_** to write this; couldn't stop myself... o**

**Warning for fluff-haters: Chapter 3 and 4 contain **_**very, very, very**_** fluffy scenes! You have been warned...!**

**Discalimer: Don't own "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind"!**

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><p>Chapter 3: Mezameru Omoi - Awakening Feelings; part I ~Sword Dancing~<p>

One of the last autumn sunlight beamed across the courtyard as Nausicaä descended a flight of stairs to it, a practicing sword in her hand.

Four days had passed since she had heard the second part of the prophecy. In those four days she had strived to forget the words of the prophecy by doing everything she found: from completing forms to working out in the fields. Indeed, these had been very helpful and the problem of a windmill of the last two days had sucsessfully caught Nausicaä's full attention. But now she had another problem, something disturbing and uncomfortable as the prophecy, but yet not so: Asbel.

Ever since the young Pejite prince had arrived, Nausicaä seemed distracted. True, there was always the thing about the prophecy, but she knew better of it. The number of times she had caught herself looking at Asbel were only too many and every time he passed or brushed against her, she suddenly found it hard to breath, her pulse would drastically pick up speed and her face, especially her cheeks, would begin to glow.

_'What's wrong with me? I never was like this around him. What-'_

But a sudden movement and a flash caught her eyes, making her end her thoughts. She looked up, and stopped dead in her tracks.

Someone had also thought of practicing swordmanship this morning, and naturally it was Asbel.

He was alone, Lord Yupa having something else to do. Nausicaä watched mesmerized as he swung, ducked and thrust as he battled with an imaginary foe. Under the guidance and strict training of Lord Yupa, he had improved greatly. Last time she had seen him spar, his swings and attacks had been feeble and his reactions clumsy. Now, he had developed speed and built on his aims and accuracy.

He caught sight of her and stopped in mid swing. He waved and Nausicaä, smiling, began to walk towards him.

"Hey! Looks as if I'm not the only one who had some practicing in mind." he said, gesturing to the sword in her hands.

"Yes, but you beat me. Go on, I'll wait till you've finished." she said shaking her head. The courtyard wasn't big enough for two people practicing separately.

But then Asbel said, "Care to spar with me? I'm really tired of swinging and tackling immaginary people, and I guess it doesn't really bring me any good."

Nausicaä was surprised and for a moment, she was speechless. Then she nodded, a smile curving on her lips. She had always wanted spar with Asbel, to test his as well her own abilities.

"Sure." she said. "But I warn you: I've been training with Yupa-sama for years. Anyway, how are we going to fo this? Simply disarming or..."

He shrugged. "Which ever you want."

She gave him a mischievous smile. "Then, until we are at each other's throats."

As Nausicaä unsheathed her practicing blade, Asbel took of his shirt; despite the slight chilly wind, his body was warm from his previous fighting.

Nausicaä couldn't help but looking at his naked and muscular torso, blood rising in her face. He looked up, as if sensing her gaze, and she quickly darted her eyes to somewhere else, blushing furiously.

He grinned. _'Girls are sometimes so easy to read.'_

Looking at Nausicaä, he noticed how her rosy cheeks made her look cute, her beautiful orange hair usually framing her face now gently waving in the wind. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

She returned her gaze at him and, seeing him grin foolishly, scowled.

"What are you grinning about?"she asked.

But she didn't even give him the chance to answer; next second she had taken a leap at him, sword raised. He caught her blade on the guard, their blades met with a clear ringing sound, since both were made out xerconium ceramic.

For the next quarter of an hour they spared; the Pejite prince had found himself already at the mercy of Nausicaä's blade twice.

"I win again." the princess said, eyes twinkling as she removed her blade from Asbel's throat a third time.

He gritted his teeth. _'How is she doing that? I couldn't get past her guard even once, every time I attack she parries my blows as if anticipating them!'_

He studied her and recalled her movements in the previous round. Then, it hit him. _'She's relying on speed and not on strength!'_

Another thing came into his mind. Something his master had said to him a while ago. _"You're strength lies in close combat, Asbel."_

That was it. Nausicaä had been fighting always at a certain distance and every time he had come closer, she had buffetted him away. Could it be that at a closer combat range she was vulnerable?

Asbel smiled. He had found a crack in Nausicaä's seemingly impassable barrier.

Meanwhile, oblivious to Asbel's inner plottings, Nausicaä was thoroughly enjoying herself. Her Pejite friend could surpass her in any other thing, but she was pleased to see that, other than in wind-riding, also in swordmanship she was still at the top.

Because of her high spirits, she didn't notice that the light in Asbel's eyes had changed; they now showed determination and a plan.

She readied herself, sword clutched in both hands. She hadn't expected him to start the attack, but as he did, she swiftly moved to block. As they exchanged further blows, she narrowed her eyes.

_'He's changed tactics...'_ she thought, as she dodged his blade._ 'He's more agile, he _moves_ faster!'_

She realized that he had got wind of her fighting style. And now was using it against her.

Soon their moving swords and bodies picked up speed, becoming near as blurs, and anyone watching the fight would have described it as a deadly but yet beautiful dance of swords. Indeed, though the two knew nothing of it, there _was_ somebody watching them, though the swordsman was nicely concealed behind some trees.

Asbel began to find his way through Nausicaä's guard and, as he had expected, she was vulnerable at close combat. The young princess tried to back him off, but he wouldn't.

Then, as she tried to make a swing at him, he swiftly moved behind her, caught her arm holding the sword and pointed his own to her throat.

She froze instantly under the cold sensation of the blade.

"Now, who's turn is it to say 'I win'?" she heard his voice say, mere inches above her ear.

She suddenly realized how close they were, Asbel's arms encasing her. She felt her cheeks and ears turn pink.

But when she sensed Asbel's grip loosen slightly on her sword hand, she wrenched free, with a swing disarmed him and with another made him drop onto the grass and then swiftly pointed the blade at him.

"Oh, I wouldn't be that sure." she said finally, smiling at her revenge.

Asbel eyed the sword for a moment, then threw up his arms.

"All right, all right! You win!" he said, admitting defeat.

Nausicaä looked at him and started to laugh. Asbel frowned.

"What's so funny!" he demanded.

The princess had to laugh out another several seconds before she stopped.

Wiping her eyes, she said, "I'm sorry..., it's just.. you're expression...!"

And she had another fit of laughter. After she had recovered, shaking her head, she offered a hand to help him up. Seeing this, a thought crossed Asbel's mind and he grinned. He took her hand and pulled, dragging her down towards him.

As she crashed down on him making a kind of squeak, he began to roll down the grassy hill, still holding her hand. They rolled and rolled until they reached the end of the slope.

When they laid finally still, each beside the other, staring at the clear blue sky dotted with cotton-like clouds, Asbel began to laugh. He laughed so hard that his already tired muscles began to ache even more and he had to clutch his ribs from bursting.

Nausicaä looked at him, bewildered. "What...?"

"When I pulled you down, you... you squeaked!" Asbel managed to say before collapsing again.

Nausicaä's face began to turn gradually pink as his words took effect. The laughing of the Pejite gradually subsided, and he sat up again, smiling.

"Well, you've had _your_ laugh and _I_ had mine. We're equal now." he said.

Nausicaä gave him a side-look, cheeks still pink.

"You didn't need to go that far!" she said, slightly offended.

He chuckled. "Ah, but I had to have my revenge."

She turned to look at him fully in the face, her expression one of offence. He watched her bemused, then, letting himself fall back agin on the grass, reached a hand to touched her sailing hair and run his fingers through the soft orange threads. Nausicaä stiffened slightly for a fraction of a second, then turned her gaze to the sky.

"You're hair is really beautiful." he breathed.

At hearing this straight forward statement, she felt her cheeks become ablaze.

Sitting up, the Pejite prince added, "And those blushes make you cute."

Nausicaä was convinced that her blush was now worse than ever, she looked away, trying to hide her face; her pulse began to race.

_'Oh no...'_ she inwardly moaned, _'If I look him in the eyes, I'm finished...'_ Because she knew only to well what would happen if she did this when blushing and heartbeat pounding. If she looked now into Asbel's eyes, she would have been swept instantly into those dark swirling pools and never to return.

"Nausicaä?" The voice was now nearer than before.

If she didn't act now, she was down right finished. Before anything else was said, she stood up.

"I...I'm sorry, I must go. I've got some papers to fill in before today's meeting." she stammered.

Again, a very feeble excuse, and she knew it. Yes, the papers had to be filled in, but the council meeting wasn't due until tomorrow.

She mustered a smile and looked at Asbel, who was still sitting on the grass, looking quite perplexed.

"See you, Asbel!"

And ran off.

Asbel blinked several times and watched the orange-haired princess sprint off.

"Did I say something wrong?" he said to himself, frowning.

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><p><strong>We~ll? How did it go? More fluff coming soon, so braces yourselves! _<strong>

**Erm... how about reviews? It would really give a boost-up at my writing confidence, so... Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4: Mezameru Omoi part II

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Had to write this... just had to. Also, I've been told that this story is similar to the "Warriors of the Wind" by moviefan-92. I don't deny it, there are some parts, particularly the begging, that are similar, but mine will be far diffrent, so don't worry!**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own "Nausicaä".**

**Translation Notes:**

**Sugoi: Wow**

**Gomen nasai: I'm sorry**

**Hime Nee-sama: lit. older sister princess. Since Nausicaa is like an older sister to the smaller girls, she let's them call her 'Onee-sama' or 'Nee-sama', which means older sister.**

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><p>Chapter 4: Mezameru Omoi - Awakening Feelings; part II~Friendship or Love?~<p>

As Nausicaä sped towards the castle, her heart was in turmoil, feelings and thoughts a battling gale.

_'What has gotten over me! I can't believe I'm reacting in such a way to such simple compliments!'_

_'Some simple comments?'_ a small voice in the remotest corner of her mind said. _'Come on, Nausicaä! No one has _ever_ told you such a thing like "you're cute"!'_

Nausicaä tried to stamp out this annoying and embaressing voice. But it insisted.

_'And anyway, how will you explain me those stealthy looks you keep shooting at him, eh? No, don't you dare deny it! You-'_

But the voice did not get the chance to finish for Nausicaä heard voices from the far end of the corridor. Though not knowing why, she hid herself in the nearest cupboard and waited for the voices to pass by. She probably wanted to avoid any awkward questions.

As the voices drew nearer, Nausicaä was able to recognize the voices: two, both of some young women. They were somewhat giggling, one was quite high pitched. To Nausicaä's dismay, they seemed to have stopped right in front of the cupboard, thus making her hear, whether she wanted or not, their messy and giggling talk.

"So, come on. Just admit it: you like him, don't you?" one voice, a smooth and clear voice, said.

"Well, maybe..." came the somewhat embaressed other one's reply.

"Oh dear," the smooth voice said. "I can see your face turning nicely red, dear Lia."

"Oh Sana! Do you have to have to be so embarrassing!" the woman named Lia exclaimed.

"Mm... Now they're turning from light pink to cherry red. So deeply in love are we?" Sana prodded, teasingly.

"Sana!"

Nausicaä took a sharp intake of breath. _'Love?'_ Could _this_ be the key and answer to her problems? She vigorously shook her head. No, it couldn't be... And yet...

"Well, you should get rid of that shyness before the Autumn Festival, otherwise he _might _end up with some other fiancée!" Sana said and chuckled.

The hidden girl heard a moan coming from Lia, then the two women's voices gradually fading away into the distance.

When she was quite sure that the way was clear, she stepped out of her hidding place. Teto nuzzled her in the ear; she took the small fox-squirel into her palms and stared into his big jaded eyes.

"Teto," she said quietly to her pet. "could it be... could I be in love with..."

But no, how could it be so? She shook her head again and tried to dismiss this, to her, very embarrassing and far fetched thought. But still, it clung to her, along with that small, unbiest part of her mind in that remote corner.

"How stupid am I? I'm acting so... so..." she tried to find a fitting word to perfectly describe her strange and unusual attitude.

"Distressed? Confused? Embaressed?" a deep voice rumbled from behind.

Nausicaä jumped, for the third time in a week. She seemed to have acquired the knack in getting herself scared out of her wits from behind.

"Yupa-sama! What are you doing here?" she said, striving frantically to stir the conversation out from the dangerous waters.

The swordsman chuckled, and not for the first time Nausicaä found herself been laughed at, though not unkindly, because of her jumpy reaction.

"Well, well. I was about to ask the same thing to you, my dear. _I_ was just taking a stroll around the castle. What were _you_ doing here, in this remote corner of the castle? Though by seeing you talk to Teto like that, I see you are quite in a desperate situation." Lord Yupa said, cheerfully.

Nausicaä tried to put on the best I-have-completely-no-idea-what-you-are-talking-abo ut- face she could muster. "Oh, nothing important! I was just telling Teto off because... because he was constantly pulling my hair!"

Just as the lie rolled out of her mouth, she mentally slapped herself. _'Damn it! I'm so lousy in lying!'_

Her former master smiled; a kind and understanding smile it was, but underneath there was a hidden small bit of... what was it? Nausicaä couldn't really identify it. Was it teasing or playfulness? Then he started to shake his head.

"Nausicaä, Nausicaä."he sighed, slightly in a sad way, in another resigned. "I have seen so many take that attitude and all have ended up in the same way. It would best for you to give up trying to ignore it and accept that feeling you are denying."

And he gave her another half smile. Before Nausicaä could say or do anything, Lord Yupa had walked away, leaving a bewildered princess alone in the corridor. Though outwardly she seemed dazed, inwardly she was grasping the meaning of those words.

Then she quietly turned and left, heading outside.

Having nothing to do and seriously needing an escape route from everything which troubled and infested her mind like devilish imps, Nausicaä headed towards the forest.

Though it wasn't the big, vast and majestic forest of three hundred years, the one which had been unfortunately burned down months before, it still cheered her up.

When she had first seen the vast and dark patches of ash of what had remained of the beautiful and ancient forest, tears had welled up in her eyes. The Valley and herself had strived hard to rebuild the forest, and the results were not dissatisfying. Now, the trees that had been planted had grown to a descent size, but still nothing comparable to the forest before.

Nausicaä had always loved the trees and forest, since she was a small girl. When something had bothered her, or even when she had wanted just some peace and quiet, she would have gone in the woods and seated herself comfortably on the roots of some giant oak, closed her eyes and listened to the peaceful noises of nature around her. She would do this not only in this forest, but also in the Toxic Jungle.

Even though the roots of the trees were still a bit small, Nausicaä contented herself in sitting in a nice shady spot between two trees.

She had again changed into her white dress, her practical ones being now in the laundries to wash from the sweat of the practice of before.

Teto climbed lightly from her shoulder down to her lap, where he quietly curled up in a fur ball. Nausicaä smiled at the fox-squirel's cuteness and began to pet him absent mindedly, all the while staring up at the trees. She then closed her eyes and let the various sounds of the new-born forest sweep her mind and spirit away with them.

She heard birds chirping high above the tree tops, she felt her hair rustle gently on her cheek as the trees did when a light breeze swept through the woods, the beautiful sound of rustling leaves melting harmoniously with the kind and warm sunrays that filtered through the tree leaves.

It was a while before Nausicaä began to hear a peaceful melody from far away. It was played on a flute, it's beautiful and peaceful notes carried away easily far into the woods by the wind. As it drew nearer, Nausicaä began to make out the melody and when she had finally recognized it, her eyes widened in recognition. Tears brimmed up just as nostalgia and reminiscing memories welled up inside her.

This melody, for now she had completely recalled, was a tune that her father had loved to play long ago, when every thing was still in it's right place.

Nausicaä leaned back on the tree trunk and closed her eyes, listening to the flute. Images and memories flashed past her as the long forgotten melody brought her back to her distant childhood: _Her father, still healthy and well, playing the flute at the fireside, his handsome face brightly lit by the fire. Next to him was her mother, but not the mother that Nausicaä remembered, who had always been distant and reserved. No, in this memory she was lively, full of life and laughter. She was surrounded by her ten children, both boys and girls. The smallest of her daughters, with two orangey pigtails sprouting from underneath her hat, was dancing along with two of her sisters, imitating their poses and steps. The two girls laughed and began to teach their small sister the how to dance properly along with the melody. Soon all three were dancing, along came then the beats of drums, then the tune picked up speed and everybody found themselves dancing along together._

Nausicaä, still with her eyes closed, stood up and began to dance. Even though the now playing melody was played only on the flute, the princess remembered perfectly the tune and the beat of the drums. She knew the melody and along with it the dance steps by heart.

So when she heard the soft, yet slightly fast flute tune, her body began to twist, turn and twirl automatically, as if each note would trigger the movement of a part of her body accordingly. Her hands clapped along with the rhythm in her head, then parted to make swirls. Her eyes were closed, but she didn't need to see. She knew what scene was hidden behind her tear glimmering eyelids. Her lips broke into a smile; a smile full of joy and happiness. And on it went.

What the dancing princess didn't know was that not far away, a young Pejite prince stood watching spellbound by her dance, struggling to convince himself that he was seeing a hallucination of a beautiful dancing angel: An angel garbed in white, her soft hair orange hair pouring out from the back of her jeweled headdress she was wearing. To her eyelashes clung pearls of shining tears. Her angelic face and dancing features were brimming with happiness, reminiscence and sorrow all together.

How long the dance carried on, only the surrounding forest could tell.

When finally the last and final note from the faraway flute died away, Nausicaä bowed deeply to her audience in her memory.

She was brought back onto firm earth, though, by the sound of a pair of hands clapping firmly, coming together and parting again and again. She spun around to find Asbel walking towards her, smiling.

"_Sugoi_..." he finally said. "I didn't know you could dance."

Nausicaä flushed. Not that she disliked being seen dancing, but it was embarrassing enough when she had been dancing so emotionally. And she thought of herself as a total idiot for not telling Asbel that she could dance, because now it looked as is she had been keeping a secret from him.

"Well..., now you know it!" she said, smiling. Then, thinking that an explanation was needed, she added, "The flute melody. It was a piece which Father used to play, and I and my sisters used to dance along it. When I heard the tune, I remembered the dance and so..."

She let her voice trail off, then she sat down onto the grass, looking upwards at the trees. "Now that I come to think of it, it's quite a good exercise for the Autumn Festival."

Asbel dropped cross legged next to her and gave her a puzzled looked. "Sisters? You never mentioned of having any siblings. And there's an Autumn Festival?"

She gave him a sad smile. "_Gomen nasai_, I never told you." Then turning her gaze to the grassy ground, she carried on. Her voice, though, had slightly changed, as if she had a sudden head cold. "Yes, I had nine older brothers and sisters. But they all gradually died from the toxic poisons of the Sea of Decay, when I was still a small girl, leaving only me as the sole daughter and heir to my parents."

"I'm sorry." Came the short, but sympathetic and slightly ashamed reply.

Nausicaä looked up straight into her friend's face, smiling. "You don't have to apologize, Asbel. It's definitely not your fault and anyway, it's something that happened long ago. I can hardly remember any of them, I was so young... Anyway, you've suffered much more than me, with Lastelle..."

And she placed a hand on his shoulder. _'It must still hurt him.'_ she thought, as she watched Asbel's face become grim.

"_Arigatou_." he muttered. Then he continued more cheerful tone, "Anyway, what about this Autumn Festival, eh?"

He was trying to avoid the subject that still hurt him. Nausicaä saw this, and agreed whole heartedly.

She nodded. "We celebrate the Autumn Festival every year to mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, about three days long. And as every important celebration and festivals there's always feasts, dancing and lots of music. So, there you are..."

Asbel looked at her mischievously, then put on an air of supreme formality.

"Would it be possible, Oh Great Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, for us humble Pejites to join in your illustrous festival?" he said, standing up and making up a ridiculous bow with a flurry.

Nausicaä laughed out at Asbel's hilarious behaviour and, finding it appropriate, followed the line.

"I would be honoured, Prince Asbel of Pejite!" she replied, putting an effort in not ruining the formal and royal effect with her suppressed giggles.

Their gaze met and together, they collapsed in fits of laughter. They stared together side by side, watching the high forest ceiling. To Nausicaä, it reminded her a bit to when they first met, in the caverns beneath the Toxic Jungle. She voice this thought out.

"Yeah, you're right." Asbel murmured.

"Asbel, do you want to come with me tomorrow to the Toxic Jungle? I've been needing a certain plant for ages." she asked.

"Yeah, sure!" he answered enthusiastically.

They lay there for countless minutes, talking and exchanging bits of information and past events, as if to better know and understand each other.

The sun had begun to turn yellowish when they finally stood up from their resting place and began to meander out of the forest, when, nearing to the villages, they began to hear music coming from the courtyard.

"I knew it!" Nausicaä exclaimed, somewhat triumphant. "They're practicing already for the Festival!"

And she began to hum along with the string tune, occasionally doing a small skip.

"Do you know the dance to this piece?" Asbel asked, noticing her small dances.

Nausicaä seemed to halt for a moment, lingering on the answer. Then, finally, she said, "Well, yes. But I would need a partner..." she said, ending the sentence in a small voice.

The princess blushed. She hoped she wasn't prodding or suggesting, let alone _asking_ Asbel to dance with her.

_'Don't be stupid! He's your friend!'_ she scolded herself.

_'Yes dear, but the way you put it makes it quite clear...'_ said that small, embarrassing voice.

Nausicaä sighed. Again, that idiotic bickering and arguments would fire up between these two parts of her mind. This seemed to become a daily routine: a random and innocent thought chucked there, then one bit comforting, the other would soon charge in and away it went... Then fortunately there would be someone or something to interrupt the two disturbing voices...

"Look, if you want to dance that badly, you just have to say it!" Asbel said abruptly, cutting as predicted, the bickering of Nausicaä's inner voices.

Her gaze snapped up to meet his and instantly she flushed. Exactly what she had been dreadding...

"What! N.. no!" she yelped, waving her hands in a sign of (desperate) denial.

"You know," Asbel said, in a slightly resigned and annoyed voice. "I'm not _that_ bad... I mean, having a twin sister... You don't know how many times she _made_ me dance with her!"

"Well," Nausicaä said, swallowing hard. "There you are: I don't want to _make_ you or so..." She added in a hurry, "You don't have to! If you don't want to, then _don't_."

There followed a prolonged and _very_ awkward silence. Nausicaä longed to say something, to interrupt this uncomfortable silence, but just couldn't.

Then Asbel surprised her by taking her hand.

"I wouldn't mind." he said, not looking at her. "But you'd have to teach the dances of the Valley, I know only the ones of Pejite."

Had Nausicaä looked closely, she would have found a small blush coming on Asbel's cheeks, but because she was too intent in thinking what to say and controlling her own emotions, she completely missed this.

"All right." she said, finally giving in. Then, as a thought came into her mind, she grinned. "Let's dance. In swordamanship, Nausicaä: Four; Asbel: One. Let's see who's going to win in dancing!"

And she chuckled. To this Asbel could only do one thing: moan.

"You're turning more and more into Lastelle!" he said, but as _he_ had started this, there was no way in turning back.

Nausicaä had him dance, twirl and skip around for three songs in a row, she constantly laughing and smiling and he all the while yelping here and there, tripping and making helpless faces.

At the end of the third song, a melody of flutes and drums, they bowed to each other, ending the dance. Nausicaä looked up at the exhausted Asbel, grinning impishly.

"Well, how are you feeling?" she asked, and upon hearing his moaning answer, her grin widened. "Let me see: For now three to zero. My win!"

Asbel let himself dropped down onto the grass and, groaning, he looked up at the triumphant Nausicaä, who was crouching beside him.

"It's not fair! I hardly know these dances! You can't expect me to dance like... I don't know what!" he burst out.

To this Nausicaä snickered, but before she could answer, there came another song from near by. Listening to it, she frowned.

"This isn't one of the Valley's." she said, listening intently.

True, because this song was very much different from the Valley's typical calm and soothing melodies played on soft flutes or strings, occasionally accompanied by some drums. No, this one was much more complex, having various different instruments, and seemed more lively and faster.

Hearing the tune, Asbel jumped up, all tiredness gone.

"Now that's what I call good timing!" he said happily. "That's one of _our_ songs."

And without further saying, he crossed the short distance between himself and Nausicaä and pulled her towards him.

She collided with him with a yelp, and before she could say or cry anything, she found herself being led by Asbel in a fierce and rapid dance, full of quick steps, shuffling feet and head-spinning twirls. She had never experienced such a dance, and noticed quickly the huge differences between the Valley's and Pejite's dances: While the Valley's were more slower, calmer and had a certain distance between the dancing partners, Pejite's dances were fast and brisk, but nevertheless maintained a steady flow. Also, and Nausicaä (again) wondered why it should ever bother her, the partners were literally glued together, bodies pressed against each other, leaving no space at all for breathing.

She looked up into Asbel's face and saw that he was enjoying himself, just like she had in the previous dance.

_'You should be enjoying yourself too.'_ Nausicaä didn't know whether this thought was her own or what Asbel's dark brown eyes told her. Nevertheless, she followed the suggestion.

She closed her eyes and let herself sink in into the rapid flow of the dance. She quickly abandoned any other thought, and began to understand the dance and it's rhythm.

And suddenly, a smile appeared, as she was dancing with more and more speed and confidence! Now Asbel wasn't leading her anymore, she seemed to dance this song as if she had danced it for years. Laughter rippled out of her throat, her voice ringing high. She soon heard Asbel's own laughing voice, very near to her. But who cared about the close proximity? Nausicaä certainly didn't; she was carefree and happy and nothing in the world was going to stop her from dancing in Asbel's arms.

The dance and song seemed to last forever; but even when it had finished, immediately a new one followed, this time one of the Valley's, and the two continued to dance, laugh, smile and giggle as the two unknown bands and musicians exchanged and competed with each other.

When finally the last flute note had faded away into the silence, it was dusk.

Nausicaä and Asbel began, for the second time, to make their way out of the woods. It was a while before Nausicaä had the feeling of been watched.

"Asbel!" she called, nearing towards him.

"Hmm?"

"Don't you get the feeling of been watched?" she said, quietly.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "Come to think of it, you're right! As if somebody were following us intently... Let's act as if we hadn't noticed and watch out."

Nausicaä nodded. Then, in a slightly louder voice, she said, "Wow, I haven't danced so much in years!"

Rustling leaves. Whispers. And giggles.

Nausicee frowned and looked side ways at Asbel, eyebrows raised in question. He merely shrugged, then walked swiftly and silently towards a throng of bushes. She followed him and when Asbel shifted some heavy branches, she blinked and stood in surprise, staring down at a cluster of children and teens, who all blinked up at the two, some grinning, some looking apologetic, and others wearing an expression of 'Oh oh, I've been discovered...'. At the most end of the rear crouched a very red and ashamed faced...

"Mother!" Asbel yelped, doubling back. "What...!"

But before either of them could continue, a large part of the huddled gang, which were girls, flooded out of their hiding place and literally pounced on Nausicaä, screaming and giggling.

"Hime Nee-sama!" the small girls cried, throwing themselves onto the princess.

She fell backwards with a cry, not sure whether to laugh or what. But she didn't have to wait much longer.

"Hime Nee-sama, is Prince Asbel your boyfriend!"

"You've been dancing with him?"

"Did you kiss?!"

All these questions flooded upon her mercilessly, what made them worse was that they came out from the mouths of carefree young girls. Nausicaä was left speechless as her face turned a deep shade of red.

"Wha.. what! NO!" she cried, in a helpless state of embarrassment.

The older girls, Valley and Pejite girls alike, floundering up and down, were even more ruthless.

"Now, now, Nausicaä. What do we have here?"

"I can't believe it! Nausicaä and Asbel!"

"Who would have ever thought..."

And so on. Nausicaä tried hard to hushen up these mortifyingly embarrassing comments and question, and naturally failed. Though little comfort to her, Asbel was in the same situation, only surrounded by boys and if only worse: They nudged, elbowed, ruffled, all the while accompanying these gestures with prodding comments.

"Asbel, what've you been doing Nausicaä, eh?"

"Ya naughty kid!"

"How far have you gone with her?"

And as Nausicaä, Asbel became very red and denied everything he could.

When the gang had finally seen fit to leave the two alone, and had departed with a "C'mon, let's leave the two lovebirds alone!" Nausicaä and Asbel were left, though far from in peace, alone on the outskirts of the forest. Both were visibly either fuming or embarrassed, red in the face. Then parted with very quiet and awkward goodbyes, and though having their quarters in the same castle, they went both went for a different course towards the castle.

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><p><strong>Yeah, I know. I'm so devilshly evil. Both to Nausicaä and Asbel as well as you poor readers. Well, next chapter will be a bit more interesting. Let's see what exactly this Darkness is, eh? Sorry for the slightly long chapter; keep reviewing! ^o^<strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Ikari

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Here starts the real thing! This hole idea about the Darkness came to me when I watched the scene where Nausicaä goes wild in seeing her father murdered by the Tolumekians and when she says to Yupa that she's scared of herself. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own any of the "Nausicaä" characters, but the Ohmu hunters are mine!**

**Translation Notes:**

**Onoree!: Damn you!**

**Baka: Idiot**

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><p>Chapter 5: Ikari ~ Rage~<p>

Next morning, Nausicaä was already up on the watch tower, checking her Mehve for the trip to the Toxic Forest afterwards.

As she checked the engine, though, she found a small leak. She began to repair it, having still time. Nausicaä knew how to cope with her Mehve and machinery since she was a small child, having been taught by the elder wind-riders like Mito.

She was adjusting a closure of the engine when, reaching a hand behind her to grab a tool, found nothing and her hand closed on air.

Frowning, she looked over her shoulders. The tool was nowhere insight.

"How strange," she muttered, searching around herself for it. "It was here a minute ago..."

"Searching this?" Someone asked.

Nausicaä snapped her gaze above her head and found a grinning Asbel perched on top of the wooden Mehve stand, holding out the tool in question. Her eyes widened.

"Asbel!" she cried, clearly surprised. "What..! How..? How come you're up there and I didn't even notice you taking that utensil!" she demanded.

Asbel's grin widened.

"Oh, I have my ways..." he said vaguely, tossing the tool down to her.

She caught it with one hand and turned her attention again to the engine.

"So, what's the problem?" Asbel asked, watching at her working intently.

She made to answer, but because she was now in a rather difficult situation, in which much strength was required, she bit her lip and didn't reply. She was tackling a particularly stubborn nut, but regardless of how much she pushed or turned, the piece of metal just wouldn't budge an inch. As she tried a third time, a groan of fatigue escaped her lips, making Asbel instantly jump down the stand and to her side.

"Here, let me see." he said, crouching by her side.

After hesitating for a moment, she grudgingly let him have a look at the engine. She would have at least wanted to repair her glider by her own, without having to ask the help of Asbel, who knew engines like anyone else.

In just half a minute, Asbel managed to repair the damage, making Nausicaä look at him with an expression of mingled admiration and scorn.

"There you go!" he said as he stood up, wiping his hands on his trousers.

"I could've done that myself!" she complained, pretending to look hurt.

To this, Asbel raised his hands in resignation. "Hey, I just wanted to help!"

Nausicaä smiled.

"I know that," she said softly, she too standing up. "Thank you, anyway."

Then she turned and called her fox-squirel, who had been playing with a small fur ball. "Teto."

The fox-squirel came padding along to her, squeaking, and climbed lightly up her outstretched hand to her shoulder. But instead of resting there, he climbed further up onto her head and from there, with a jump, switched to Asbel's head and settled on top of his hat.

The two looked up at Asbel's head in surprise, then Nausicaä started to laugh.

"He likes you." she said, beaming at him.

"Is that a good thing?" he asked rather sheepishly, unsure how to react at Teto's behaviour.

Still smiling, she nodded. "Yes! Fox-squirels are regarded as impossible to tame by mankind, you know that."

But as Asbel made to carefully lift Teto from his hat, she shook her head. "No, keep Teto. It's best for him if he comes with you in the gunship."

The young Valley princess and Pejite prince kicked off the ground simultaneously, each on their respective planes and began to make their way to the Forest of Decay, with Nausicaä leading the way.

As they were flying above the Forest, Asbel began to make acrobatics with his red gunship around Nausicaä. Seeing him, she smiled under her mask and joined in, catching side winds and maneuvering expertly her glider.

Even though Asbel couldn't directly see it, he knew that under her mask, she was smiling and laughing. He even could hear her laugh, while she enjoyed the sensation of freedom in the air. He envied her skills in wind-riding and resulted to ask her to teach him wind-riding when they would have time.

Teto squeaked on his shoulder and wriggled his tail, watching enviously as his mistress flew freely in the wind.

"I guess you want to be with her, eh?" he asked the fox-squirel, he too smiling at Nausicaä.

They continued to exchange acrobats for sometime; two pairs of red and white wings in the clear blue sky.

Just as they were nearing to the spot where Nausicaä usually explored, a place where the Forest confined with the Acid lake strewn desert, something unusual caught the princess's eye.

"What's that?" she asked herself, frowning.

She squinted down from high above her Mehve on the desert. There was a dark patch of movement far eastwards. She manuvered the glider towards it, gliding down smoothly on the wind.

"Nausicaä!" Asbel called from his gunship.

"Don't worry! Just going to check something. You go ahead of me!" she shouted back over the howling wind.

Without further saying, she sped with a jet towards the strange dark patch at the banks of an acid lake. As she neared towards, her sight began to adjust to the scene. Her heart skipped a beat, making her gasp.

A group of dozen of armed men were surrounding a baby Ohmu, barely larger than herself. They were driving deep into the Ohmu's shell thick, long blades in its side. Each time they pushed the blades deeper, deep blue blood would gush out anew from the wounds. The poor baby Ohmu was constantly howling with rage, its eyes red with anger and pain, and it tried to shake off the assaliants and their blades.

Seeing this, Nausciaa's eyes filled with tears.

"How could they!" she whispered.

Instantly, fury and compassion bubbled up inside her.

She waisted no more time; when the Mehve was a few feet from the Ohmu, she jumped down without hesitation. The glider, now without rider, sped upwards, moved by the wind.

"What are you doing!" she shouted at the men, taking off her mask as she said so. "Take those blades from the Ohmu immediately! Can't you see that it's in pain!"

The group of men truned to look at her; two of them fingered their rifles and swords nervously, while a third stepped towards her.

"Calm down, missy. We're hunting here. 'Es not a pretty scene for a miss like you ter see." he said, hands waving as if to calm Nausicaä's fury.

"Hunting! You're _hunting_ that poor Ohmu!" she managed to say, flabberghasted.

Now more of the men came forward, hands on their swords dangling from their hips. The man talking gave them a cautious look, then carried on.

"There's nothing wrong in hunting these beasts, missy. Now, we don't want to hurt you, but if you further delay us, I'm afraid we'll have to-"

"What? Torture me to death like this Ohmu here with those blades of yours!" she spat.

Had she not been so furious, she would have certainly not done such a reckless thing and probably would have done something more diplomatic. But, since she was _not_ in her right mind, she did what to her was the most obvious and effective thing.

Next moment, Nausicaä had thrown herself onto the Ohmu and started pulling at one blade. Ohmu blood began to squirm out and bathe her. At once, several hands grabbed her and snatched her from the Ohmu. She struggled to wrench free of the grips.

"Get your murdering hands off me!" she screamed.

The man who had been speaking, presumably the chief, shook his head.

"Now, now, me young lady." he said, though calling her 'young lady', he used a tone as if he would be speaking with a toddler. " 'As not how we behave, do we now? Now,..."

But a screach interrupted him. All heads turned to the Ohmu, which was emitting a very high pitched screech.

"It's trying to call it's heard!" One of them shouted.

"Kill it." The chief ordered.

"NO!" Nausicaä screamed, wrenching and pulling again. "NO! DON'T! OHMU!"

There was a strange sound, a mixture between a squelch and a thud, and the screeching ceased immediately.

There followed a deathly silence.

Nausicaä finally wrenched herself free and tumbled towards the Ohmu. When she saw it's lifeless, gray eyes, she stopped, gasping.

Rage, and grief, such as she never felt, overwhelmed her and she was engulfed by it. She began to shake terribly.

The last thing she remembered was that she had drawn out her xerconium ceramic blade out from it's sheath, gripped it tightly before her and screamed, "_ONOREE_-!".

Then nothing. Total darkness.

After Nausicaä had told him to go to the Toxic Jungle first, Asbel had hesitated, then decided to catch up with Nausicaä.

He followed the unmistakable white wings of Nausicaä's glider and came to an acid lake. As he neared, Teto began to growl, fur standing on end.

"Teto, you sense something?" Worried, Asbel asked the fox-squirel on his shoulder.

Naturally, there came no answer.

Asbel drove the gunship further down and squinted down from the window. What he saw was down right revolting.

"Ohmu hunters." he muttered in disgust.

Now, looking at the injured Ohmu, he began to understand what Nausicaä had said about Ohmu being intelligent and feeling insects. He shuddered at the thought of the pain of those blade sticking out from it's shell.

Teto gave a screech at the same time as Asbel saw the unmistakable figure of Nausicaä launching herself onto the Ohmu.

"_Baka_! What are you doing, don't interfere!" he shouted, knowing only too well that she couldn't hear him.

He lowered the airship down and landed some hundred feet from the Ohmu hunters. Without much hesitation, he jumped out of the ship.

"Teto, you'd better stay here." he said, lifting him from his shoulder and placing him onto the pilot's seat.

A piercing screech was heard. Asbel whirled around and ran towards the Ohmu hunters and Nausicaä. When he reached the group, he saw her standing beside the dead Ohmu, her back to everyone, her shoulders trembling.

"Nausicaä!" he called and made a start towards her.

But then she spun around, unsheathing her blade, and, screaming an oath, she charged at the nearest hunter, a bulky one, who looked as if he could take on four men at the same time. He tried to defend himself with his sword, but was no match for the enraged princess. She quickly disarmed him with a few blows and swung her blade to his head, instantly killing him and battering away. Then she pounced onto the next.

Asbel watched shocked as she subsequently cut down three men; a blinding fury unleashed. And for an instant, for a fraction of a second, he thought he saw her beautiful orange hair switch to a colour of pitch black and her usually kind and soft nut-brown eyes into murderous, ragging red. It was a fraction of a second, not even a heartbeat, but all the same, a horrifying sight. Next second, it was gone.

Asbel blinked, and then came back to himself. _'I've got to stop her before she kills them all!'_ he thought, gritting his teeth. But how? There was only one way...

But the instant he moved, two hunters, probably thinking that he too would begin to attack them, came charging on him. Thanks to his training, he swiftly took out his sword and took on the blows.

"Listen, I'm not your enemy!" he shouted to the two. "I don't want to fight! All I want is to help you; I need to calm her down before she kills you all!"

But no chance. The two hunters fighting were stubborn and stood their ground, so they gave the Pejite prince no other choice. He disarmed the two easily and knocked them unconscious.

"Sorry, folks!" he apologized. "Hate to do this!"

After another volley of hunters stroming down on him and trying to make less damage possible, Asbel finally reached Nausicaä, who was currently engaged in a fierce fight with the chief.

They were moving and exchanging blows rapidly, but he managed to throw his arms around her arms and immobilizing her.

"Don't move!" he said warningly to the chief, pointing his blade at him.

Nausicaä began to struggle in his arms. "Let me go! Get off me!"

"Nausicaä, Nausciaa! Calm down! Killing them won't bring the Ohmu back." he said, trying to sooth her.

"No, no, no!" the enraged princess in his arms screamed, tears streaking down her face.

_'Just like an enraged Ohmu who's forgotten himself...'_ he thought.

Dropping his sword, he turned her to him. He took her face into his palms and lifted it upwards, so that their eyes met. In her eyes, he saw rage and behind it, fear and sorrow.

"Look at me, Nausicaä!" he said. "It's me, Asbel!"

He wound his arms around her shoulders and pressed her trembling body to his.

"It's all right. It's all right..." he murmured softly as he stroked her head.

He sensed her strength gradually lessen, he heard a clatter as the sword fell from her hands, then he felt her weight on him as she fainted.

Taking Nausicaä's limp body in his arms, he made his way to the gunship without turning or saying anything to the remaning Ohmu hunters.

When he arrived to the airship, Teto swiftly climbed onto his mistress and began to run up and down, squeaking, trying to wake up his mistress.

"Don't worry, Teto." he said. "Nausicaä's all right." Inwardly, he thought, _'Yeah, far from all right!'_

He looked down to her face, and saw that tears was streaming out of her closed eyes. He pressed her against himself. _'Nausicaä!'_

And made his way to the valley as fast as his gunship could carry him.

* * *

><p><strong>To be continued... Stay tuned! And let me hear your comments!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: Kimi wa Boku ga Mamoru

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Wohoo~! After that **_**rage**_**, let's see how Nausicaa'll cope with it! And... a big surprise for you fluff-lovers... just wait and you'll see... *snickers* Warning: this chapter contains some angsty and violent scenes!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own "Nausicaa"... none can surpass Miyazaki-sensei's mastermind! ^_^**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Kowai: Scared**

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Kimi wa Boku ga Mamoru ~ I will defend you~<p>

Nausicaä woke up feeling strong and warm arms wrapped around her. She lifted her head slightly, but drowsy as she was, she soon returned to its resting place and closed her eyes again. She didn't want to wake up, she wanted to lie here in these strong arms, feel their comforting warmth and strength that would protect her from harm.

_'Father?'_ But no, her father had long departed for the land of the dead. Then could it be Mito? No, his scent was different. But what did it matter who it was? As long as she felt safe, she had no trouble in not knowing this.

She snuggled herself more deeply into the person's arms and clung more tightly to his shirt. All was well and peaceful, until...

"Nausicaä? Are you awake?" A voice, very gentle and full of concern said.

Nausicaä stirred and with a moan, opened her eyes. A face was looking down on her. Her blurred vision gradually cleared to reveal a very concerned Asbel's face hoverring inches before her own. _'It's only Asbel...'_

"Asbel...?" she whispered, still drowsily.

He nodded and smiled. Asbel.

Then she jumped, or rather, she jolted, because she was still in...

... _'Asbel's arms!'_ she thought, mortified. She began to blush furiously.

"Are you all right? You look a bit red..." The Pejite prince asked, looking her in the face.

_'Heavens, the last you should do, Asbel, is to look me in the face when I'm in such a state!' _she thought, though not voicing this aloud. She carefully avoided looking him in the eyes and said, "Yes, yes. I'm all right... Um, Asbel, do you mind putting me down? I can walk by myself..."

"Oh, yeah. 'Course." Asbel said, redening slightly as he realized, a moment too late, exactly how he had been carrying Nausicaä around for the past ten minutes.

As soon as her feet touched the ground, though, her head began to spin and her legs buckled under her. Asbel quickly caught her by the waist before she crushed on the stone pavement, something which made the colour in her cheeks only worse.

"Are you sure? Maybe you've got a fever..."he said and put a hand on her forehead.

At his cool touch, her already burning forehead began to feel as if on fire. Well, yes, probably she had fever. Needless to say, she denied this.

"No, no. I'm all right, Asbel. "she said, shaking her head and peeling his hand off her forehead. "I got dizzy probably because I've been lying too much."

"But-"

"Don't worry, I feel fine." she said reassuringly, though her head was hammering like thousand pieces.

She took a step forwards, her head spun again and she had to clutch the wall to steady herself from falling. She heard Asbel make an exasperated sigh from behind. Then he came up to her, took her arm and slung it over his shoulder, so that he sustained her.

"Damn it, Nausicaä, you're so stubborn!" he hissed. "You can tell me any other fibs another time, but not _now_!"

And together they headed towards Nausicaä's room; now that she had a clear view of her surroundings, Nausicaä realized that she was in the castle.

After managing in making her lie down to rest, Asbel said, "I've alerted Obaba-sama; she's gone to get some help, so she won't be long."

Nausciaa nodded, then asked quietly, "Asbel, what happened? I can't remember anything."

"What! You don't remember anything of what happened!" he cried out.

She turned her head to him and nodded, dead serious. He had dreaded this, now it was up to him to tell her what... what she had done. _'If I make her cry, I going to hate myself for the rest of my life...'_ he thought, grimly.

He took a deep breath and began to tell Nausicaä from when she had spotted the group of Ohmu hunters.

With each word he spoke, Nausicaä's face filled more and more with shock, recognition and self-disgust. She suddenly sat up, staring down at her hands.

"...And, what did I did do then?" she asked quietly, her voice trembling as bad as her body.

"You... you...," Asbel just couldn't bring himself to say it; the shock would be too great for her.

"I killed them, didn't I?" she said, lips quivering, she was glaring at her hands with deep disgust.

Asbel nodded, staring aimlessly at his own.

"I tore their flesh apart like a wild animal, I massacred, I _murdered_ them, didn't I!"Her voice was becoming louder and shriller.

"Nausicaä-"he began to say, but was cut off.

"How many?" she demanded, voice suddenly dropping to a whisper.

Asbel remained silent, unwilling to respond.

"Answer me, Asbel! How many did I kill!" she insisted, voice rising again.

"Twelve." he said quietly, hating himself.

"Twelve..."she repeated in a whisper.

Suddenly Asbel stood up and walked up to Nausicaä.

"I should've never told you the truth." he muttered and made to hug her.

But she too stood up. She was shaking her head.

"No, I should thank you Asbel. You made me realize, made me _see_ what a monster, what a demon I really am." she said.

Asbel frowned. Something was definitely wrong. He took a step towards her. "Nausicaä, what-"

"Don't you see!" she cried bitterly, spread her arms wide. "Look at me, Asbel. I've become a murderous monster, a killing machine!"

"But it's only the first time!" he said, in defense to whom he didn't know.

"No! You're wrong, it's the second time, already. Who knows, maybe I'll become the monster that I am in appearance in a few days, in a few hours, or even minutes!" she said. She was becoming hysterical.

Asbel had to do something, and he knew it. He took another step towards Nausicaä. She backed away, snarling like an injured and frightened animal.

"Don't come near me, Asbel of Pejite! Don't you dare...!" she snarled.

But he didn't stop; step by step he came closer to her. He spread his arms.

"NO! I'm a monster! Don't come near me!" she screamed. "No, no, no!"

She kept pounding her fists at his chest even as he his arms wrapped firmly around her quivering shoulders. In his arms, she instantly stopped pounding and screaming.

"Nausicaä, you are _not_ a monster." Asbel said firmly in her ear. "You are the most life-loving and compassionate person I've ever met."

Her shudders became more violent, she gasped, then finally broke into tears, burying her face in his shoulder. He reached a hand to the back of her head and stroked it tenderly.

"I'm scared." she said through sobs. "I'm so scared of myself. I don't know what or whom I'm going to hurt when I go blind with rage! What if the next time it would be you, Asbel, or Teto or Yupa-sama or one of the people of the Valley! Who will stop me if I go in a rage again?"

To this, Asbel didn't hesitate to answer. "I will. I will stop you, I will wake you up."

She shook her head. "You're not with me all the time!"

Silence, then...

"This is it. It's starting..." she whispered.

Asbel looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"The Darkness from the prophecy. _This_ is my dark side, my Darkness..." Nausicaä murmured, shocked. She sank her face again into his shoulder and pressed herself against Asbel.

"... _kowai_..." came the muffled and trembling voice. "..._kowai_... How am I supposed to fight my Darkness when I'm so scared of it!"

Asbel's gripped tightened on Nausicaä. He hated seeing her suffer like this. He couldn't bear it; he wanted to destroy this Darkness who was breaking the person he cared for so much from within... to save her from the pain, to protect her...!

"_I_ will." he said, decisively.

Nausicaä looked up and he met her gaze.

"_I_ will defend you, I will protect you from your Darkness, Nausicaä." he told her firmly, placing a hand on her wet cheek.

"R... Really?" Nausicaä asked, voice trembling.

He nodded. "Yes, I promise."

The smallest of smiles appeared on her lips, hope shone in her glimmering eyes as tears welled up and began to roll down her smooth cheeks.

Asbel gazed down at this beautiful, kind and scared creature he was holding in his arms; a powerful feeling overwhelmed him suddenly and he couldn't help it: He inclined his head slightly downwards and pressed his own lips against her's.

At the touch of Asbel's lips, Nausicaä was brought back to firm earth and reality of what was happening, dawned upon her. She instantly froze, her heartbeats became incredibly loud, she was sure that he could hear them. And though unwilling, she stared into his eyes. Kind and full of love, the swirling dark brown pools swept her away, and she let herself be gently wrapped up by his love, closing her eyes.

There came a sudden knock; the door of Nausicaä's room banged open and a healer, followed closely by Lord Yupa and Obaba stormed into the room. The three found a very red faced princess sitting upon her bed and an awkward Pejite prince standing near by.

"Hime-sama!" the healer hurried towards Nausicaä and began fussing around. "What happened! Are you all right? You are very red; you must have fever! Now, please lie down, I will fetch some water and-"

And on she went. Then with a flurry she was gone, leaving the seer and the swordsman with Nausicaä and Asbel.

As soon as the healer was gone, there came an eerie silence, heavy with awkwardness. Sensing this, Obaba chuckled.

"Dear oh dear. You too are acting more like a youth, eh Asbel?" she commented, chuckling to herself.

From where she was lying, Nausicaä couldn't properly see Asbel's face, but she heard a "Geh!" of surprise and embarssment coming from him. Hadn't it been for the serious situation, she too would have done a face.

But sensing Lord Yupa's approach, she became serious again, her face becoming like stone, expressionless.

"I heard most of it from Obaba-sama, but I would like to hear it from you two. Will you tell me?" he asked, his bushy moustache vibrating all the while.

Nausicaä murmured a quiet, "Yes.", and told the two.

When she had finished, Obaba sighed.

"Eh. Nausicaä, your Darkness is clearly rage." she said, looking up to her.

"Rage?"

The old seer nodded. "Rage, anger and despair. Ah, you remind me of an enraged Ohmu that has forgotten himself from the anger... The anger of an Ohmu is the anger and wrath of the Earth. Nobody can stop an angered Ohmu, other than those who have the ability to understand and tame them..."

To those words, Asbel spun around to look at Obaba. He too had thought of that sort of similarity between Nausicaä and the Ohmu.

Nausicaä also seemed to follow the same line.

"Tame. Understand and communicate..." she said, in thought.

"The only Ohmu tamer that we currently know is you, Nausicaä. And to, let us say, _tame_ you, we must find _your_ tamer, or your knight." Obaba croaked and made a very, very small and slight movement with her head towards Asbel.

Luckily for him, it was such a small movement that Nausicaä didn't seem to notice. Lord Yupa, on the other hand, knitted his brows together and folded his arms under his mantle.

"Mm...," he grumbled. "So it has begun..."

The princess nodded again. "Yes."

Asbel took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak, but just then the door opened and bustling in came the healer.

"Hime-sama!" she cried bossily. "I have told you to lie down and rest; you have a fever! For heaven's sake! Lord Yupa, Obaba-sama, Prince Asbel, I must _insist_ that you leave this room this instant and leave the poor Hime-sama in peace! She must rest,..."

Another few minutes of bustling around the room, making Nausicaä drink some herbal medicine and forcing her to lie down, and then shooing the rest out, the healer retreated, leaving the princess's room in a eerie silence as one after a storm or gale.

But despite the ushering and commands of the healer to rest, Nausicaä didn't want to sleep or even close her eyes. Because she knew too well that if she let herself be led to the world of dreams, the scenes that she had forgotten during her rage would instantly take course.

She turned constantly around and around under the covers, trying to make herself uncomfortable as possible, but soon realized that the healer must have put something to make her sleep, for her eyelids began to feel very heavy.

Finally she gave in, and her last thought before her eyelids drooped down was, _'I hope...'_

Then she fell into, to her unconsciousness's relief, a dreamless slumber.

* * *

><p>As they were ushered out of Nausicaä's room, Obaba began to chuckle to herself for no apparent reason. Asbel looked at her perplexed, while Lord Yupa merely gave her a bemused glance.<p>

"What-" he began to ask, but the old crone merely shook her head.

"Oh, it is something your young mind will not understand. Well, run along! You have certainly something to do, don't you, my young prince?"

Asbel looked at Obaba, frowning even more. Then, it hit him.

"Nausicaä's Mehve!" he gasped and clapped a hand on his forehead. "Damn, I forgot!"

And he was sprinting down the corridor. Watching him vanish out of sight, Obaba chuckled again.

"Baba-sama, will you please stop chuckling to yourself? It makes shivers run down my spine!" Lord Yupa grumbled, and the old woman chuckled even more.

"Eh eh, Yupa. Does it not amuse you how the two behave around each other, like newly born butterflies? It makes me wonder how much longer will those two need to realize their feelings for each other..."

"Please don't try to hurry things up, Baba-sama. Asbel might not be the prophecized knight." Lord Yupa said through his bushy moustache.

"Oh, do you not trust Nausicaa's judgement and feelings?"

The swordsman shook his head. "No, he's a good lad, all right. But to fret and jump to conclusions too quickly could condemn the two. I am just concerned... The bit of the prophecy _'... save that person...'_, bothers me somewhat."

"Why?" Obaba croaked.

"Prophecies have always been somehow vague, you of all people know that. I have a certain feeling that '_save_' has some other meaning hidden under it."

To this, Obaba chortled yet again. "Yupa, you get troubled so easily! Why not trust prophecies once in a while, eh?"

Lord Yupa didn't answer, but let out another grumble. Then he made his way out of the corridor and Obaba followed suit.

* * *

><p><em>A slash. The man's head rolled off, blood spurting out in every direction.<em>

She turned, panting.

_Another man came launching at her; she took in the blow, disarmed and slashed out into his belly._

She turned and tossed her head again, this time giving out a small moan.

_Then, she felt rage gnaw inside her, craving for revenge. To kill... She pounced onto a hunter who was running away and sunk her blade into his back. He let out a scream of pain..._

Her eyes snapped open; from her mouth escaped a strangled scream. She sat up, gasping for breath. Beads of sweat rolled down from her forehead and neck. She felt as if she had been bathed in sweat, her nightdress and the covers contorted around her body and skin, trapping her. She began to shiver, both from the coldness of the sweat and from... terror.

Nausicaä stared down at her hands, she saw them dye crimson red from blood. She looked up, and saw the faces of the men she had murdered, moaning and screaming in pain.

She froze, then scrambled desperately from out of the bed. She felt a squeak from behind; Teto had woken up and was trying to bring his mistress back. She glanced down to the fox-squirel and gasped: he was lying on the bed, blood gushing out from his little body; her gaze moved down onto the floor where she saw Asbel lying motionless at her feet, his back soaked red from the wound. Next to him lied Lord Yupa and at the window Obaba, both with deadly wounds. Their blood formed a gigantic puddle of crimson water, that flowed down to her feet; the stench of the steely blood unbearable.

Her eyes were wide open in shock, she doubled backwards. Something touched her shoulder and she spun around, screaming: Mito's body tumbled upon her, arm outstretched, his face contorted in pain...

She hadn't time to scream at the horror. She ducked and the the body fell with a thud and a splash in the puddle, which now was a sea of blood. Out from the window, Nausicaä saw the Valley dye in red and full of bodies.

She backed away, her head shaking, her entire body was. Her hands flew to her mouth in shock. She couldn't utter a single word. Tears began to prick her eyes.

A sudden movement caught her eye, she whirled around to see her reflection in the mirror. There she was, a raven-haired monster with red wine eyes and black leathery wings sprouting from her back, standing on a mountain of bodies and laughing her head off.

She backed away from the figure in the mirror, shouting, "NO!"

The Darkness laughed coldly and said, "You are me, Nausicaä! You can't run away from _what_ you are...!"

Nausicaä backed again, she tripped on something and fell backwards. She quickly scrambled to her feet and threw herself to the door. She _had_ to get out, she had to seek that person, in whose arms she felt the most safe in the world...

She desperately flung the door open and fell onto the hard stone floor. She heard again those deathly moans, now closer than ever, from behind her. Something grabbed her leg and pulled, pulling her towards _them_, towards that inferno of death...

But then she heard someone call her. Yes, that kind and loving voice... it was him!

She felt a hand, then a pair of arms wrap around her, lifting her up. She didn't have to look up into his face; she knew who it was. She threw herself into those warm and protective arms, she began to sob and tears fell out without stopping. The terror, shock and fear gradually disappeared, being replaced by the feeling of being secure and safe.

"_Kimi wa boku ga mamoru_, Nausicaä!" She heard him whisper and his arms tightened around her.

Then she finally closed her eyes and was immediately immersed into a soundless sleep.

* * *

><p>Beams of sunlight flooded into the room and onto the bed, making Asbel stir. He made to sit up, but soon felt a slight pressure on his chest and on his arm. He looked down and found with a jolt Nausicaä's face resting inches below his and her arms tightly around him. Instantly, his face lit up. <em>'What the...'<em>

Why on earth were they sharing the same bed! No, technically this was _his_ bed, so how did Nausicaä land in his bed?

Then the events of the past evening dawned upon him: Of course they were like this! Because yesterday he had heard a racket from the corridor, had gone out to check and had found Nausicaä cowering on the floor, looking as if she had seen living hell. Well, no wonder, for what she had gone through. At any rate, when she had thrown herself onto him, crying her heart out, he had had no other choice but to retreat with her into his room. And both had fallen asleep on the bed.

Asbel brought his free hand onto his face, ashamed and embarrassed. _'What a complete idiot! I should've brought her to her room, not backed straight forward into mine! What was I thinking!'_

But too late. The damage was done. He sighed, silently cursing himself and his stupidity.

Then he regarded Nausicaä for a moment: she was very beautiful, even when sleeping. Her soft orange hair gently fell down onto her forehead, carefully avoiding her perfect eyebrows and her long eyelashes. She wore an expression of peacefulness and of one being sound asleep. He watched silently as her side rose and fell in a slow, paced rhythmn, being sucked and expelled throughout the slightly parted lips. Speaking of lips, Asbel remembered only too well when he had kissed her the day before, and how soft they had felt against his. Yet again, that powerful emotion engulfed him, yet again he couldn't stop himself and he bent forwards.

But just as he brushed her lips, and probably it was his touch that woke up the dormant princess, she stirred and a small groan escaped her lips.

"Nnn..."

He moved quickly back, mentally cursing himself for the action. He had hoped to carry her back to her room, so that she would wake up in her own bed and avoid any awkward situations, but as she had now wakened up, his brilliant idea was now smashed to pieces by his own uncontrolled emotions.

Nausicaä opened her eyes. Her bleary eyes met his.

"Sorry, did I wake you up?" he whispered.

She blinked once, then shook her head. She returned to rest her head on his arm and closed her eyes again. Asbel prayed for her to sleep again.

But the next second she jolted up, gasping. "What...!"

Immediately, memories flooded her sleepy mind, squashing the drowsiness completely out.

Her hands flew to her mouth and she flushed. "Oh gosh! I... I..., Asbel, I'm so sorry!"

And she quickly scrambled out of the bed, making as much distance between herself and Asbel as possible. He too sat up.

"What? No, it's all right..." he said, then realizing what had slipped from his mouth, he quickly amended, "I mean-"

"Eh..., ah..., no, no..." Nausicaä stammered, cheeks ablaze as she shook her head as well as her hands in front of her. "I..., ehm, best to be going..."

She backed towards the door. Asbel didn't get the chance to say anything before Nausicaä disappeared through the door, repeatedly stammering, "I'm really sorry!". When she had closed the door, he let himself fall back onto the bed and brought the pillow onto his still blushing face.

"God, was I an idiot!" he cried, though the comment came muffled from under the pillow.

Meanwhile, Nausciaä hurried as quickly and quietly to her room as possible, thinking hard. _'I can't believe it! I _can't_ believe it!'_ she thought, absolutely beside herself with mortification and embarrassment. _'What on _earth_ was I thinking, clinging to Asbel and falling asleep with him!'_

She entered and closed the door to her room very quietly; if anyone of the castle saw or heard her crossing the corridor from Asbel's room to her's, what would they think?

She let herself slide down the wooden door to the floor, then she looked at herself, still in her nightdress. Good, everything seemed to be in order. _'To be in order!'_ she thought alarmingly, cheeks colouring cherry red. _'What am I thinking!'_

In that precise moment, Teto ran up to her, squeaking a good morning.

Far from greeting the fox-squirel, the princess told him off. "Teto! You should've stopped me from doing such a stupid thing!"

Teto made a squeak and a growl: didn't his mistress know how much he had tried to bring her back and how much she had been wailing and moving? He would have told her so, but alas, could animals talk...

Then Nausicaä sunk her face into her hands, feeling her cheeks still warm. "Now what will he think of me! Falling asleep in his arms and crying into his shoulder in that way! He must think of me as a weak, powerless and constantly crying damsel in distress!"

Which was true: after the rage, she _had_ been acting very much like a damsel in distress; crying, acting scared and throwing herself into the arms of Asbel as if she needed to be protected.

It was as if she had become another person. But then, where was the old Nausicaä? The one who had been so strong and brave to stand up to the Tolmekians; who hadn't hesitated to sacrifice herself for her people; who hadn't so much as flinched at the sight of the stampede when she had been at the very front of it... That Nausicaä didn't need to be protected, she could protect and defend herself!

That's right! Nausicaä stood up, face set. She was Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind! Strong, brave and full of courage. She was strong, she didn't need to be protected...!

But then the memory of when their lips had touched, along with the warmth and love that had wrapped her, came back to her, making her blush even more. Her hand unconsciously flew to her mouth and touched her lips, as she remembered. Previously, she had totally forgotten the kiss because she had been too absorbed in the nightmare, but now...

_'He kissed me...'_ she thought, blushing furiously, clutching her mouth.

And not only once. When he had brushed his lips against her's before, she had, even though drowsy as she had been, felt them.

_'Are you really prepared to abandon that warmth and love?'_ the small voice asked.

Nausicaä doubled over, unable to answer. She pressed her eyes shut. She couldn't answer to the voice, because, not only she didn't want to, but also because she didn't even _know_ what she wanted. No, she knew what she wanted, only she didn't want to _choose_. She wanted to stay with Asbel, to be in his arms, but at the same time she didn't want to be so girlish, it was not her, she had never been like that and she wanted to remain so; carefree and innocent. She also wanted handle the Darkness by herself, to win over and tame her dark side without the help of this knight...

_'Knight!'_ She gasped. The words of the prophecy which had been buried deep into her mind, came back to her: _"Knight, you who are the blue clad one's heart and soul's companion,..."_ And, _"Your fate and heart are intertwined with the one of the knight."_

Knight. Heart and soul's companion. Love. Kiss. Asbel.

All these words passed through her mind and all these seemed to be connected to one person. Her eyes widened.

_'Yeees,'_ the small voice whispered. _'What if _Asbel_ was the knight of the prophecy...?'_

But it couldn't be... Asbel was...

_"_I_ will defend you, I will protect you from your Darkness. Kimi wa boku ga mamoru, Nausicaä!"-"...save that person from the Darkness..."_

But save was not the same as defend or protect, or was it?

A sudden and urgent knock sounded upon the door, making Nausicaä jump and cut down all thoughts. She crossed the room quickly and made to slip under the blankets. But there was no need for that, because...

"Yes?" she answered, keeping her voice as drowsy as she could.

"Hime-sama, it's me, Mito." Mito's voice sounded through the wooden door. "A ship has been sighted, flying here in the Valley. They have sent a request for landing."

Nausicaä was up in no time. While quickly dressing, she called to Mito, "Got it! I'm nearly ready. Send out the permission for landing."

When she had buttoned up the last button, she hurried out of her room, Teto jumping lightly onto her shoulder as she left.

Because now the corridors was full of people running and hurrying along, the young Pejite prince had also peered out of his room to see what was the fuss about, just as Nausicaä and Mito were passing his room.

"Hey, what's the fuss?" he called out.

"A ship is about to land. We don't know from which kingdom, but it doesn't seem an attack. Hurry up, we'll be at the west side of the of Valley!" she told him and disappeared in a flurry of her hair.

_'It's not like that time! It's _not_ like that time...'_ she constantly repeated to herself, heading towards where the ship would be landing.

* * *

><p><strong>Hehehe... Wasn't I good? *smiles maliciously* Made them kiss <strong>_**twice**_**! After I wrote those scenes between the two, I thought: Finally! 'Cause those scenes had been popping up in my head for a few days and I was itching to write them down in the story! Now, who are these unexpected visitors? Find out in the next chapter, where two dangerous characters will be introduced... be prepared! Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7: Kumia Kyoudai

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Right then, new chapter! Sorry it took a bit too long, but I had a bit of trouble in deciding the OC's characters... But anyway, let's get going... Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All "Nausicaa" characters belong to Miyazaki-sensei! All other OC are mine, though...**

**Tranlation Notes:  
><strong>**Naze: why  
><strong>**Aniue: a highly formal and polite way of calling an older brother. Note, this 'title' isn't used anymore in modern japan other than in historical things. I used it to underline Sedona's politeness and formality!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Kumia Kyoudai~The Kumia Siblings<p>

Half the Valley and Pejites were out of their beds and had gathered at the foot of the most westward cliff of the Valley. They watched in half awe and half apprehension as a ship fairly large as the one of Tolmekia, began to land upon the vast field.

"What's that mark on the ship?" Asbel asked, pointing at a symbol, a complicated knot work, at the basement of the ship.

"That is the emblem of the Kingdom of Kumia." Lord Yupa answered and, despite himself, surprised.

"Kumia?" Nausicaä asked looking at her teacher.

The swordsman nodded, still watching the ship. "Highly advanced in both science and technology, they managed to preserve many different cultures from before the Seven Days of Fire. I only heard rumors, but it is said that Kumia was destroyed a couple of decades ago..."

The princess frowned and returned her gaze to the Kumian airship, which had by now landed. As soon as the airship had touched the ground, a double door opened and soldiers filed out. To everyone's relief, they lined up in two rows. Consequently, a small, stout and portly looking man came out, wheezing and huffing all the while, and went to stand at the rear end of the aligning soldiers.

Then he announced in a loud, carrying but slightly oily voice, "His Highness, Prince Nadasaru of Kumia and his sister, her Ladyship Princess Sedona of Kumia!"

Two hooded figures, one tall and the other slightly smaller one following, appeared from within the darkness of the interior of the airship. Even though hooded, they were richly dressed, and there was no doubt that the two were the one's who had been announced. They came out and crossed the patch of grass that separated them from the watching people with steady and slow paces, taking it what seemed an endless time for them to arrive.

All the while, Nausicaä, though her face was rather expressionless, watched the process with her heart pounding. The soldiers were clearly only for show, but still the princess couldn't help staying anxious. Behind her, she heard Obaba shift her weight onto another leg, as if impatient. Lord Yupa, Asbel, Mito and Eharu, though, remained impassable.

When the two had finally reached her, they stopped. The tall figure, probably the prince, reached a hand to his hood and with a fluent movement let it fall back, revealing his face.

Nausicaä blinked as she realized that the tall and seemingly impassive hidden prince was in reality a mere young man very close to her age, maybe a year or two of difference: Prince Nadasaru of Kumia was a tall and slim youth, with broad shoulders, sweeping shoulder-length raven black hair and emerald green eyes. You could have said he was a fine looking young man.

Behind him, princess Sedona let down her hood too, revealing her to be as beautiful and handsome as her brother, her hair and eye colour being the very same. Hadn't she looked slightly younger, they could have passed as a pair of twins.

"Greetings, people of the Valley of the Wind! I am Prince Nasadaru of Kumia. I wish to speak to Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind!" he spoke. His voice was very smooth and yet had a certain deepness, it was easily carried away far by the gently blowing wind.

Nausicaä came forward. "I am Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind!"

The prince turned and walked towards her, followed closely by Sedona. They stopped and Nadasaru made one more step further, so that now Nausicaä and the foreign prince were only a few feet away. Asbel, who had been standing at her side, moved slightly closer to her.

She waited, her face impassive and utterly unemotional. Even when Prince Nadasaru gazed down on her and met her eyes, she neither flinched nor shied away, and held the gaze defiantly. A small smile appeared upon the prince's lips.

"So, you are the famous princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the princess who was able to stop the Ohmu stampede and is the long acclaimed blue savior." he said, with a certain amusement. "Well, rumors have spoken true; you are indeed both brave and very beautiful! It is indeed an honour in meeting you, princess."

He bowed, doing one of those ridiculous royal deep bows. The princess was surprised. How did rumours of her deeds spread around? She had a certain feeling that Kushana had something to do with this...

"The pleasure and honour is mine," she said, following courtesy protocol, and made a small bow. "But may I ask you your business you have in this Valley, or indeed to me? Surely, you have not come all this way from your kingdom just to verify the rumors."

Nadasaru laughed. "You have seen through me, Princess Nausicaä! Indeed," he said, dropping to a serious tone. "I _have_ come here for a very serious reason. A few days ago, a group of Ohmu hunters from my kingdom returned from their hunting empty handed and their number utterly diminished. They told me that they had been attacked in the vicinity of this kingdom, so I came to, er, let us say, _investigate_. Naturally, this incident will not break or wound the peace between our two kingdoms in any way. I have merely come to visit you, Princess Nausicaä, having heard a lot about you..."

He carried on for yet some time. When she had heard his words about her rage and the attack on the Ohmu hunters, her heart had sunk right down its usual spot and had settled near her navel. She knew it. It _had_ something to do with the attack...!

"Very well," she said, trying hard to maintain her voice as steady and diplomatic as possible. "But it would be better to speak of these matters inside the castle. Please, follow me. But before, let me introduce to Prince Asbel of Pejite. He and his people are currently residing here in the Valley."

She stepped back so that the two princes had a full view of each other.

"Ah yes, I have heard about you too, Prince Asbel." Nadasaru said and bowed. "My profound condolences for your kingdom and the many other losses."

Asbel seemed to have become very rigid and cool all of a sudden. He muttered a curt "Thank you," and bowed swiftly. Nausicaä watched her friend's peculiar behaviour, wondering what was wrong.

But then made no further attempt to pursue this thought and proceeded to introduce the rest. When she came to Lord Yupa, Nadasaru surprised her by saying,

"Ah, but naturally. The highly admired Lord Yupa! Who does not know about the best swordsman in the hole Sea of Decay!"

Lord Yupa inclined his head.

As they proceeded towards the castle, Nausicaä was too absorbed by the two guests in noticing something, what Asbel had: the strange, hungry light in Nadasaru's eyes as he looked at Nausicaä, just as a wolf do before attacking his prey.

* * *

><p>A sigh escaped Nausicaä's lips as she leaned against the railway of the huge balcony of the castle. She was exhausted: she had never thought that having a guest from another kingdom, apart from Asbel or Kushana, would be so tiresome. She had just been dinning with Nadasaru and Sedona and...<p>

_'God, I can't stand it any longer! All this formality, courtesy and not to mention the questions! All those questions: question here, answer that!'_ the girl moaned inwardly. Even Teto seemed to be unable to cheer her up.

Prince Nadasaru was good-looking, nice and high-spirited, all right, and never missed a chance to entertain you with some funny jokes or enthralling tales, but there was something about him that made Nausicaä feel uneasy. Not that she didn't like him, but all the same...

_'Come to think of it, I wonder what was so interesting for him when I told him about the second part of the prophecy.'_ But then she shrugged. _'Some people are sure to be strange.'_

Teto suddenly made a movement, and she turned her head to him. The fox-squirel had turned to look behind him, and Nausicaä, following her pet's gaze, saw a hand hovering just above her shoulder. She followed the hand up and found Asbel right behind her.

"Asbel?" she asked, cocking her head to one side. "What are you doing?"

The Pejite prince laughed out, touching the back of his head with a hand in embarrassment.

"Er..., nothing, nothing!" he said, grinning apologetically. But the girl got wind that he had been planing some mischief

"Asbel, what are you up to?" she asked in a dangerous voice and gave him an intent look.

Under her eyes, Asbel seemed to break and finally said, "Well, I just wanted to surprise you."

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"'Cause I like your jumpy reaction, you silly girl." he said, playfully pinching her nose.

And she _did_ jump, though backwards, at his touch. She blushed, suddenly becoming aware of how much close they were. They're faces were mere inches apart and Teto could have lightly stepped from her head to his.

She frantically searched for something to say, but was saved the necessity of doing so.

"Ah, Princess Nausicaä! I have been searching for you!"

They turned to see Nadasaru walking towards them. Nausicaä's feeling of salvation turned quickly into dismay just as quickly as the prince reached her. She would have gladly found something to say to Asbel than be buried again with the discomfort around Nadasaru. Teto even began to growl slightly and she had to quickly hushen him up.

"I hope I am not disturbing your friendly chat." he said cheerfully. "But I have a rather important matter to discuss with the princess."

Nausicaä opened her mouth to reply, but Asbel beat her to it.

"Oh, no, no. Not at all." he said and began to make his away out of the balcony. "Don't worry. Please, take your time."

And he was gone. Nausicaä blinked, confused by how strange Asbel acted around Nadasaru.

"I wonder what has gotten into him..." she muttered, more to herself than to Nadasaru.

"Hmm." The prince was still watching the entrance of the veranda through which Asbel had disappeared. "Prince Asbel of Pejite..." he murmured.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, nothing." Then he cleared his throat, as if to declare something important, and faced Nausicaä. "Princess Nausicaä-"

She couldn't bear it any longer. "Please, call me Nausicaä. To be quite honest, I don't like to be called so formally all the time."

Nadasaru looked as if he was taken quite aback. But then he smiled.

"I too don't like formality," he said adimittingly, switching smoothly from formal to common speech. "Nadasaru is just fine for me."

Now Nausicaä too was smiling. _'Well, with the formality gone, it's not that bad around him.'_ she thought.

Then he continued. "Nausicaä, I proudly declare to you that I am your Knight."

Nausicaä blinked. It was as if he had said, "I love you."

"Sorry?" she asked incredulously, not daring to believe her ears.

The prince sighed. "To put it plainly, I have fallen in love with you."

It was hard not blush. She wrestled with her emotions from further emerging freely and simultaneously, thinking something to say.

"What are you-" she stammered.

Nadasaru bent down onto one knee and grabbed her hands. His brilliant green eyes looked at her fiercely. "Nausicaä, ever since I have first met you-"

"But we only have met a few hours ago!" she exclaimed.

"Have you ever heard of the expression of 'love at first sight'?"

Of course she had. But still, she just couldn't believe it.

"But... Nadasaru, are.. are you quite sure? I mean, are you aware of what you are saying?" she tried to reason.

He smiled up to her. "Of course I am."

Then he stood up again, more closer to her this time. Nausicaä saw his face drawing nearer to her own; her pulse began to race. _'No...'_ a voice whispered in her. A flash, and Asbel's face appeared in her mind and she snapped her eyes away from his, automatically pushing him away with her hands.

"No..." she whispered, her orangey fringe hiding her face from view. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept your feelings..."

She made to step away, but Nadasaru caught her wrist.

"Wait," he said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have... Will you at least let me court you?"

Her eyes widened and a small gasp escaped from her lips. What to do? What to answer?

"Please, let me go." she murmured.

Silence, then, "I take that as a yes."

She felt his grip loosen at her wrist. She dashed away as fast as her feet could carry, all the while, the face of Asbel floating up in her mind.

_"Nausicaä... Kimi wa boku ga mamoru..."_

_'Naze...?'_

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, completely unaware of what Nadasaru's <em>very important <em>talk with Nausicaä was about, Asbel was stroding furiously through the castle corridors, letting his legs carry him where they wanted.

He just couldn't stand him, that Nadasaru bloke. From the first time when he had set his eyes upon that prince, he had immediately disliked him and put himself on guard. And he had done well; Asbel had caught him look at Nausicaä with that strange, nearly insane light already twice. Putting himself on guard was one thing, but the problem was that Nausicaä had completely let down her own; talking and telling Nadasaru things so openly, such as the second part of the prophecy.

Asbel didn't like the way the two were getting along so well, even if they had met only hours before, and had to admit that he felt irritated and a slight tinge of jealousy...

_'Hang on, why jealous? Why should I be _jealous_ of Nadasaru? Ok, he's definitely wierd and there's something wrong about him, but why be jealous of him being with Nausicaä? It's not as if I own her.'_

Thinking of Nausicaä, he wondered why he had begun to act somehow strangely around her too. Why did he feel so captured, so captivated by her when he looked at her, when she was by his side? When she was distressed or in tears, why did he feel so protective over her?

Asbel frowned. _'Of course I want to protect her! She's my friend, she's like a sister to me!'_

But then, blushing and staring so captured at one another was definitely not included in a brotherly relationship. He knew that very well, and much as she resembled Lastelle, he felt that it was not the same love he had felt for his younger twin.

He cared for Nausicaä deeply, just as much as he had for Lastelle, that much he acknowledged. And that strong feeling, that feeling that overwhelmed him twice and had made him kiss her, what was it?

_'I _can't_ be in love with her, I just _can't_! That's as if I'd be the knight, but I'm not!'_

He turned a corner and, absorbed as he was in his own thoughts, inevitably crashed head long into someone.

"Ahh!"

"Ouch! Who the damn..., oh..."

He restrained himself from cursing; in front of him stood Sedona, Nadasaru's sister.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..." he appologized quickly.

The princess shook her raven black head. "Oh no, I should be the one to apologize. Forgive me, Prince Asbel, I was looking for my Aniue."

He raised his eyebrows. Aniue? What a very peculiar and highly polite way of calling her brother. Lastelle had _never_ called him like that, it had always been 'Asbel'. But then, they were twins and not proper older brother-younger sister.

"Well," he said, rather involuntarily. "I saw him speaking with Nausicaä outside on the balcony. He might still be there."

Sedona inclined her head. "Thank you. Do you know the way to the balcony? I do not know my way in this castle and I would certainly become lost. Please?"

She looked at him pleadingly.

As much as he hated it, he nodded and began to lead the way. He didn't know why, but something told him that Sedona was in some way different from her brother.

"This castle must have stood here for years...! Do you know when it was built?" Sedona asked, quite out of the blues.

"Sorry? Oh, I don't know." he said, absent-mindedly. "You'd probably have to ask Nausicaä or one of the Valley's historians."

_'What does she care anyway?'_ he thought, frowning a little. He was becoming to feel uncomfortable; he felt Sedona's eyes set firmly upon him, but when he turned slightly, he found her looking her out of the windows.

He watched Sedona for a moment, having had no time to give her a proper look before: her most remarkable features were her wavy black hair, tied high up, and her steely jade green eyes, which emanted a certain power and danger. But in contrast to her steely eyes, her voice was soft and high pitched. She wore a knee-length robe of the deepest green and blue, which suited her perfectly. She had no headdress, except a thin circlet of bright silver, in a style that Asbel had never seen around here, set upon her brow. Her jewels dangling from her earlobes jingled and swayed dangerously every time she made a step. In all, she _was_ pretty, but he knew better to steer right out of her way and best not to cross paths with her.

"Do you know each other well?" the foreign princess asked abruptly, changing the course of their very poor conversation.

The Pejite prince frowned, trying to figure out where she wanted go. "Erm... What to do you mean?"

"You and princess Nausicaä. Are you two friends?" she asked further.

"Well, yes, we're friends, all right." he answered rather sheepishly. "Why do you ask?"

He saw from the corner of his eye that she shrugged. "Oh, out of mere curiosity. So, how did it come that you and your people have remained here in this valley? Did you not want to rebuild Pejite?"

Another weird question. Asbel found it very hard to convince himself that such a person could be so curious. Not to mention the fact that she knew exactly what and how to ask.

"Er... well, even if we had rebuilt Pejite, among the deserts and on the edge of the Toxic Jungle, it would've been a matter of time before the Jungle and it's toxins reached Pejite. Anyway," he added, voice dripping with sarcasm. "being now reduced to a small population thanks to a certain kingdom, it wasn't worth running that huge city anymore."

He sensed her looked down.

"Forgive me. It must have been hard for you." she murmured.

This sentence took him by surprise and he turned around to look at her: yes, she was really staring at her feet as if she was really sorry. He raised his eyebrows for a fraction of a second.

But maybe he had misjudged this princess Sedona, maybe she wasn't that bad after all. There's always been that thing about siblings be the exact opposite.

Asbel's face easened and became softer. "Nah, you don't have to apologize."

Sedona looked up, her face reasonably lightened up. "Oh, thank you, prince Asbel"

"Asbel's fine" he said automatically.

She smiled. "Asbel."

Then she stopped. They had reached the veranda. And as expected, Nadasaru was already gone, leaving no trace of himself or of Nausicaä.

"Well, he's not here, your brother." Asbel said, trying hard to keep his voice even and cool as possible.

"Mm, yes, indeed. Aniue is probably already returned to the ship." Sedona said looking around. Then she turned to Asbel, smiling. "I am sorry, you have brought me here for nothing, it seems. But thank you all the same."

He smiled. "No problem. Are you going back too?"

Sedona nodded. "Yes, Aniue is probaly expecting me."

Then she did a very unexpected thing: she leaned swiftly forward and kissed Asbel on the cheek.

He gave out a cry of surprise and embarrassment, and jumped backwards.

Sedona snickered. "What is that? Have you never been kissed on the cheek before?"

"N..no! But what was that for!" he cried, still somewhat shocked.

The princess made a curious face. "Oh, in Kumia, it is a custom to kiss one's cheek in gratitude. Do you not do it in this kingdom?"

The young Pejite prince shook his head, remaining silent.

"Oh well," she said, sighing a little. "Now you know it. Good day to you, Asbel!"

Sedona raised a hand in a goodbye, turned and hurried down a flight of steps which led outside the balcony, leaving Asbel still staring back at her.

Now that she had her back to him, however, the Kumian princess made a smirk.

"Oh Aniue, your plan is going perfectly well..." she whispered to herself and snickered again, this time with a certain wickedness in it.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh oh... Nadasaru and Sedona: friend or foes? There's definitely something fishy going on about them and they are dangerous, but in what way...? See for yourself in the next chapter! And remember: reviews are adored! So... hope to see you soon!<strong>


	8. Chapter 8: Sawagu Mori

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Now let's see how Nausicaa reacts at Nadasaru's sudden relevation... and what she discovers...**

**Disclaimer: All "Nausicaa" characters, apart from the OCs, belong to Miyazaki Hayao!**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Okashiiwa: Strange/ something's wrong  
><strong>**Chiisaki mono yo: (Oh)Little being/person  
><strong>**Baka-ka!: Are you insane!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Sawagu Mori~A Troubled Forest<p>

The wind battered Nausicaä's orange hair against her cheeks as she trudged up the stairs of the watch tower to her Mehve. She needed to get out of this Valley at once, before Nadasaru could say anything else to her.

She was absolutely beside herself with embarrassment, shame and fury. _'What on earth is that prince _thinking_! He doesn't even know me; how could he just say such a thing!'_ she thought, cheeks warming up again. _'I just can't believe it. And _why_ on _earth_ does _his_ face come up! Why? As if I would feel guilty... Just why...?'_

She pressed her eyes shut, stopping for a moment. She didn't know. She didn't understand what and to whom she felt. She couldn't make nor head or tail to this. It had started with the prophecy, had escalated with Asbel; wasn't it enough for her to cope with a bunch of mixed emotions for just one boy? No, another prince had to come along on this tempest ride of feelings!

Nausicaä ran up the last few steps and rushed to her glider. She was so absorbed into her own thoughts, that she didn't even notice Goru, the watchman, calling her. Only when Teto lightly nip her ear did she snap her gaze to the old man.

"Oh, Goru, sorry." she said, slightly down put.

"Not to worry, Hime-sama." the watchman grinned. "Where are you off to today?"

"Ah, just a trip to the Forest. Don't worry, I'll be back in two hours. Can you get me up?"she asked, climbing swiftly up the wooden ladder and onto the Mehve.

The watchman came hurriedly to the stand and grasped a lever, just as she turned on the engine.

"One... Two... THREE!" he tugged at the lever, shooting the Mehve high into the air.

As soon as she was in the air, she spurted a burst of jet and was soaring up. She maneuvered the glider towards the Toxic Jungle and began to fly towards it.

From high above, the princess noticed something. _'Strange, there are no insects...'_

The flight to the Jungle took only twenty minutes; she landed at the margins between desert and forest, the usual place.

"In you go, Teto." she said and opened her shirt for the fox-squirel to climb in.

She had thought of a mask for him, but when she had tried to put it onto Teto, the small fox-squirel had so viciously opposed to it that she thought he was content in curling up in her chest.

Then she put her own breathing mask on. She took out her flare gun and walked into the toxic forest. But as soon as she took several steps into the Jungle, she quickly noticed that something was wrong.

Other than a few insects here and there, Nausicaä encountered very few. An unnatural silence reigned in the poisonous forest, making the girl become uneasy. Even Teto, inside her shirt, sensed a certain tension and was quivering.

_'Okashiiwa...'_ she thought as she looked around. _'Why are there so few insects around? And this tensed air... What does this mean?'_

She stepped onto an old Ohmu track and, following it, reached a lake.

"A lake! It must be this Ohmu's lair!" she realized and went over to the bank. The waters were completely still, not even a ripple was to be seen.

"Something's definitely wrong..." she said to herself. _'But what is it...?'_

Her heartbeat took up speed. She listened intently, but nothing.

The she crouched to the waters and with a free hand, touched the water very gently. The contact made ripples that gradually became perfectly round waves, which spread quickly around the hole lake.

_'Ohmu...'_ she called out in her thoughts.

A moment later, much larger waves responded to her own small ones, coming from the other side, and an Ohmu began emerge out of the crystal clear waters.

Her eyes widened in wonder and surprise. It had actually _heard_ her mental call and had come! She hadn't been expecting this; she had merely called out as a greeting...

The Ohmu gradually came sailing graciously to her at the banks of the lake, it's eyes blue and tranquil as the pure waters of it's lair. When they were mere feet apart, it stopped and it's golden feelers came out of the water.

They touched her lightly at her hand hovering above the water and she immediately sensed the creatures consciousness press against hers. She gently closed her palms around the feelers.

_'Ohmu, I'm sorry! I didn't want to disturb you!'_ she said.

The Ohmu seemed not to mind. _'Chiisaki mono yo, we meet again... Truth to be told, We have been waiting for you'_

Nausicaä frowned. _'Waiting for me?'_

_'Yes. The forest, something is harming the forest, the insects...'_

_'Something...? What is it! Tell me, Ohmu!'_

The great insect seemed to hesitate. Then, _'Terrible... terrible..._' it moaned. _'So many dead... So many killed...!'_

_'The insects! Have they been killed? By whom!'_ she asked, heart pounding. She was beginning to feel a great pain and sadness, and a certain anger. No doubt the Ohmu was transmitting her it's feelings.

_'Ah, but We sense something in you, little being! Something, a great Darkness is lingering in your heart's most deepest... and a tempest... a furious tempest of battling emotions...'_

The princess took a sharp intake of breath. _'Ohmu, you can see this? You can _sense_ these!'_

She was clutching its golden feelers even more tightly. It was as though a bucket of ice had plummeted into her stomach. _'Ohmu, please tell me-'_

But the Ohmu had started to back away. _'Chiisaki mono yo, until that tempest inside does not subside, we cannot speak to each other... We must go, our clan is calling Us... Until then, farewell, Chiisaki mono yo...'_

The Ohmu's feelers tugged slightly in her hands and she reluctantly let go.

"Ohmu! Please, wait!" she called after the gigantic insect, but it had already turned and was sailing swiftly to the other side of the lake, making those crooning noises that were the Ohmu's cries.

"Ohmu..." she whispered, her hand still outstretched before her.

_'I should follow it...'_ she thought and hurriedly run along a side path that ran along the lake's banks. It took her some time, because the lake was huge, but when she had reached the other side, she immediately followed the Ohmu's tracks.

Following the huge insect's track, she began to venture into a part of the forest in which she had never explored. Blueish trees and venemous plants surrounded Nausicaä all the while.

Then, the Ohmu's path ended into another, much larger path, that went on for miles. She saw that it was an enormous Ohmu path on which hundreds had passed on. _'If I follow this one it'll be no good.'_ she thought and quickly searched a side path. There was one a few paces away and just as she reached it, a flying Daioh Yamma came swooping down through the vast tunnel, chattering it's teeth in obvious distress. The princess ducked and hurriedly followed the green insect.

She reached a clearing. And what she saw made her gasp.

"Ah!" Her eyes widened in horror to what she saw.

Carcasses above carcasses of dead insects lay strewn onto the ground. Nearly all of them were Ohmus, adults and babies alike, and all had been deprived of their precious shell. Insects flew all around, confused and distressed, some even feasting upon the carcasses. Ohmus were huddled around the bodies of their kin, they're eyes a somewhat greyish blue. The golden tentacles were out, touching and covering the dead.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "They're mourning the dead..." she whispered. Her knees buckled beneath her as she stared at this horrific and heart-breaking sight.

"How... how could they..." she breathed, numb with horror. Her mask inflated and deflated silently with her shallow breath. "Why...? Who...?"

An image came into her mind. Ohmu hunters.

She took a sharp intake of breath.

So that's what they have been doing. Killing the Ohmu's just for they're shells, notoriously known to be the hardest material in existence. True, the Valley's people used the shells too, but they were all shed shells.

Another face came into her mind, along with spoken words.

_"...a group of Ohmu hunters from my kingdom returned..."_ Nadasaru.

_'And he knew of this! He knew what would happen to the Ohmu's!'_ she asked herself, thoroughly shocked. And then she felt it. Again.

That anger, that rage gnawing at her insides, craving for revenge...

"No...!" she gasped, doubling over, clutching herself.

_'No, don't...! Don't come out! Not now!'_

She pressed her eyes shut and began to rock back and forth on her feet. _'Calm down... calm down... It's all right...'_ She breathed in and out, in and out; each time her breaths shuddering so badly that they could've shaken her entire soul. Then, something quivered and squeaked from inside her shirt. Teto. He must have sensed it too and was probably concerned about her.

"Teto," she whispered. "I'm all right. You're such a kind and faithful fox-squirel..."

And she placed a reassuring hand onto the lump on her chest.

She remained crouching over herself for a few minutes. And when the Darkness had subsided, she began to cry heart out, crying for those poor insects who had been killed for nothing.

_'How cruel humanity is.'_ she thought bitterly, looking back at the insect's graveyard one last time before making her way back. _'How cruel... so ignorant and selfish! Ah, why have I been born to this so cruel and ruthless race? A race that can only bring destruction and death!'_

She sniffed and brushed off the last remaining tears from her eyes. Then she slung herself onto the white glider and set off back to the Valley, face set. She knew perfectly well now how to answer to the Kumian prince.

* * *

><p>But as the princess sped towards her home, she saw a giant green thing flying full speed towards the towers that let the wind currents pass through the Valley: the entrance to the kingdom.<p>

"A Daioh Yamma! Why!" she exclaimed, speeding up the Mehve. "Why is it angered!"

Nausicaä gasped as she saw the giant flying insect collide onto the towers, crushing some of them completely. It crashed into the steep valley, bringing stones onto it and sending a fungus of dust and dirt into the air.

As she neared within seconds towards the Daioh Yamma, she saw Kumian gunships skidding to the injured insect.

"DON'T SHOOT!" she shouted. "DON'T!"

She managed to get there in time before the pilots fired. She dropped to the ground from the Mehve and spread her arms wide, facing the gunships.

"DO NOT FIRE! Let me deal with it!" she shouted, her voice carried out by the blowing wind. From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of soldiers hurrying towards her and the Daioh Yamma. She paid them no attention; as long as they didn't interfere with her...

Nausicaä turned to the Daioh Yamma, taking out her insect whistle. She began to spin the whistle and at its sound, the huge insect raised its head a few inches from the ground, as if willing to hear her words.

"Why are you enraged, Daioh Yamma? You who are the Forest's watcher, why have you left your Forest?" she asked soothingly.

She hadn't expected it to answer and nearly recoiled as her mind was touched by its consciousness. _'How...?'_

_'Oh little being, stand back from my path!'_ the insect craved, teeth clattering all the while. _'Let me have my revenge of my hatchling's death! I seek revenge... on that human!'_

She knitted her eyebrows. _'What do you mean? No one from this Valley has done any harm to your hatchlings! _No one_...!'_

The Daioh Yamma didn't seem yet convinced. _'I smell, I sense the murder's scent in the air! Retreat, Oh little being. Let me have my revenge!'_

But Nausicaä shook her head. _'No, none of the Valley's people have attacked your larvae. I'm certain of that. Go, Daioh Yamma; return to your beloved Forest! Attacking humans only brings death and will not bring you anything.'_

They're eyes met, the princess's nut-brown gaze staring intently at the red eyes of the creature. Seconds or even minutes could've passed, but Nausicaä couldn't tell.

Then finally, the huge insect seemed to give in. It raised it's ruined wings to take off, but before soaring up into the sky, it said to Nausicaä, _'There are other's like me, Oh little being, back in the Forest that have lost many of their kin. They will not rest till they have avenged their kin's deaths, you mark my words...'_

And before giving her any time to respond, the Daioh Yamma raised itself into the air and began to make its way back to its realm, leaving the princess without words.

A Kumian soldier neared to her. "Are you all right, Princess Nausicaä?"

She turned to him and gave the man a glance before turning her gaze again to the horizon where the insect had disappeared, the strong wind blowing her orange hair into her face all the while.

"Yes..." she murmured, somewhat distracted.

Then a voice sounded from far, calling her name with great concern. "Nausicaä! Nausicaä, where are you!"

It was Asbel. Nausicaä saw him just as he saw her, emerging from a hill of crushed stones, his face totally aghast and shocked at the sight of the ruins of the towers. She rushed to meet to him as he came to her.

"Are you all right! What happened! I heard just a while ago that an insect had collided with the wind towers, but..." Asbel asked in a rush.

She took her mask off and gave him a small smile. "I'm all right." she said, then turned to look at the wreckage surrounding them. "But that Daioh Yamma..."

She shook her head. "The Forest, the insects, they're all unsettled about something and," she looked up into his face, a deep frown etching into her forehead. "Someone's attacking them."

This time, it was Asbel's turn to frown. "What? Attacking? But who would such as stupid thing?"

Nausicaä let her gaze sweep down to a highly suspicious procession that was slowly coming towards her, and said nothing, though her expression seemed to harden.

"You think.." the Pejite prince asked in a hollow tone. "_T__hem_?"

Again the girl didn't answer; instead she walked towards the Kumian prince, who was currently inspecting the debris in alarm.

"Prince Nadasaru," she called.

Nadasaru snapped his gaze to her, a relief spreading across his handsome face. "Oh, Nausicaä, good heavens you're all right!"

And he hurried up to her. Far from easening though, Nausicaä maintained a cold attitude towards Nadasaru.

"Prince Nadasaru, I wish to have a few words with you in the castle as soon as possible." she said, cooly.

The Kumain prince seemed to become slightly perturbed. "Well, certainly Nausicaä! Why, you can tell me now; what is it?"

"No, I want to speak to you in private." was her answer.

The frown on Nadasaru's face deepened, then was gone. He nodded, mood cheerful again. "Very well."

"Then at the veranda." she said, inclining her head slightly, then proceeded into the Valley without a second glance at him.

* * *

><p>As she leaped down a particularly big piece of stone, Asbel came running towards her.<p>

"Hey!" he called, touching her lightly on her shoulder.

She stiffened for a fraction of a second, then relaxed and turned to face him, still walking on.

"Hmm?"

"Nausicaä, are you really sure you're ok? You look pale. What happened?" he asked, concerned.

She didn't have the heart to look at him in the eyes and tell him what atrocity she had found in the Sea of Decay. She had the feeling that if she met his eyes now, she would completely break down. Even though her body didn't show it, she was badly shaking out of fury and fear. What an idiot she had been...

"Nausicaä?"Asbel asked again.

Still staring at her feet, Nausicaä opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a single word, Mito and a group of men came running towards them, weapons in their hands.

"Hime-sama!" he cried. "Are you all right! Have you been injured! Where is the insect!"

But she merely shook her head. "I'm fine. I've already sent the Daioh Yamma back to its home, so there's only the wreckage to clear up. Can you go first? I'll catch up with you."

Mito nodded and went to the destroyed towers, closely followed by his group of men.

Then, as she and Asbel made their way to the castle, she told him about the Ohmu's and what the Daioh Yamma had said to her. When she had finished, he gave out a sigh.

"I knew it. They had been planing this from the start!"he said, glaring back at the wind towers where Nadasaru currently was.

Then he turned to her again and asked, "But what are you going to do? You're not going to tell..." At her nod, he goggled at her. "_Baka-ka_!? If you tell him to leave he might refuse and start attacking! He's brought half an army, remember!"

But Nausicaä shook her head. "I'll try to reason him. He's not that stupid; talking to him might convince him."

In hearing her words, Asbel brought a hand onto his forehead, an exasperated sigh escaping him. "Nausicaä, just how naive are you! Can't you see that he's cunning like a fox! D'you really think he would retreat just because you asked him!"

She remained silent, but as he began to speed up, she caught his hand.

"Asbel, wait!" she said, looking at him pleadingly. "Please, don't do anything reckless! Please. Let me at least talk to him; if it doesn't work, then we can think of something. Just don't act _now_!"

Under her pleading gaze, Asbel seemed to hesitate. Then, he growled, "All right. Talk to him, but I'll be with you!"

Again she shook her head, this time somewhat in a sad way. "No, I'll speak to him alone."

"But-"

"Please!" she cried, meeting his eyes. They shone with a desperate light. "_I_ brought this upon us, so I should be the one to clear this mess up."

Asbel couldn't find anything to retort to her and watched Nausicaä hurry past him and disappear into the castle, uncertain of what to do. Then, with a decisive face, he followed suit and headed towards the castle.

* * *

><p>The sun was setting when Nausicaä heard Nadasaru's footsteps on the stone balcony. She had been on the veranda for sometime and, while waiting for Nadasaru, had been watching the Valley dye in the yellowish colour of the autumn sun.<p>

She turned her head and found the Kumian prince, grinning broadly, standing a hands breath from her. She managed to suppress a start and put on a serious face.

"You wanted to speak to me, Nausicaä?" Nadasaru asked happily, for what Nausicaä didn't know and she was thoroughly annoyed by his cheery mood.

She nodded. "Yes, indeed."

Then she turned to look at the Valley, somewhat hesitating. How should she begin?

But Nadasaru surprised her by saying, "Come on, you don't have to be so shy!"

She gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"Oh come on," he said, grinning more broadly than ever. "You've finally realized that you love me, haven't you?"

Nausicaä blinked as she realized what a fatal misunderstanding this prince had made.

"No." she said flatly, shaking her head once and slowly. "That's not what-"

"Oh, Nausicaä...!" Nadasaru cut her off, shaking his head. "Nausicaä! You musn't deny those feelings you have for me! No, quite the contrary, I'm very happy, as well as glad, that you've finally accepted my feelings towards you..."

Nausicaä was shaking her head in disbelief, completely speechless to this young man's idiocy and blindness. As he neared step by step towards her, she backed away.

"No...," she managed to stammer, head and hands shaking. "You're misunderstanding... I don't love you..."

But her eyes met his. And as hazel nut clashed with dazzling green, the hazel nut eyes widened in recognition.

_'This person,_' she thought as she registered the hungry, nearly mad glint in Nadasaru's eyes, the one of a wolf about to pounce onto its prey. _'He doesn't love me... He's faking it!'_

The Kumian prince stretched out a hand to reach her. Suddenly, she couldn't contain herself any longer and just as the hand was a breath away from her cheek, her hand shot out and knocked the hand away.

She felt disgust well up in her, disgusted and aghast for being touched by a person whose hands were dyed red by the many insects he had killed.

She glared up into his face full of surprise.

"I haven't time to play your stupid games, Nadasaru!" she shouted, anger and annoyance overwhelming her. She flung out an arm and pointed in the direction of the destroyed wind towers and beyond them, to the Sea of Decay. "Out there in the Toxic Jungle, insects are dying are being murdered by your commands! That Daioh Yamma flew here in revenge, searching for _YOU_! You, who gave out the order to hunt the insects!"

As she paused to take in some breaths, Nadasaru gave a little, nervous laugh.

"Nausicaä, dear. There's no need to fire off the handle like that!" he said nervously trying to calm her down. "Look, the insects are only insects..., beasts and monsters who pollute and poison the earth we walk! By hunting them, we can exterminate them and the earth will be again of us humans!"

She looked at him in horror. What was this person thinking? It was as if she was back to when she had tried to reason with the Pejites, in front of their destroyed city.

Her expression changed to one of despair.

"Have you ever seen _them_ hunting a baby Ohmu! No, you haven't, have you? Have you any _idea_ of what they do with the dead, dismantled bodies of those poor creatures! Have you even _heard_ the howlings and cravings of a mother Ohmu mourning her hatchling's death! You haven't, else you wouldn't be so cocky and calling them monsters!" she yelled at him, almost vomiting these sentences.

He backed away at her fierce outburst, hands in front of him in a slight resignation.

"Al...all right, all right... I'll think about it...!" he stammered. "Just calm down, okay?"

But Nausicaä had gone beside herself. All coolness and self-control was engulfed by a blinding rage and hatred. She had forgotten herself. Who she was, herself; all engulfed by this burning rage.

Then suddenly, as if a bucket of ice had plummeted into her stomach, she stopped dead. She looked down. And to her horror, she saw that her hand had flown to her short sword and was half way from drawing it from its scabard, wedged into her waist pouch.

She stared at her motionless hands in shock. What was she about to do? Her eyes slowly drifted upwards to see a fearful Nadasaru watching her from a short distance. They widened in shock and fear as a full realization of what she had nearly done, dawned upon her, making her gasp.

_'I was about to become that monster again...'_ she thought, horrified.

She slowly unclasped her shaking hands from the sword's hilt and sheath and clutched them tightly to her chest. Again, it was happening...

Then, without warning, she dashed away down the steps, fleeing the balcony and Nadasaru.

And after the Kumian prince had left the veranda, some while afterwards, someone shifted from a cluster of bushes on the platform and out emerged Asbel, an expression of thorough concern and anxiousness etched into his face.

"Ok, what the _hell_ happened here?" he muttered to himself.

Obviously, he didn't get any answer, but he knew better of it. The Pejite prince had already made up his mind when he had hidden himself in the bushes: he was going to find out the answers.

And, face set, he followed the Kumian prince out of the castle.

* * *

><p><strong>I just <strong>_**hate**_** animal abuse... Just hate it! And, people who are too ****blind by their own selfishness (hands up if you agree). Well, back to the story... Next chapter, we'll see exactly what the Kumians are planing! *smiles maliciously*  
><strong>**Let me hear what you think their plans are! ^^  
><strong>**Also, I would like to thank and give Ponycrazy7597 a big hug for being a regular reviver of "Kaze to Tomoni" and (I guess) a big fan of it! Thank you! \^o^/**


	9. Chapter 9: Takurami Hakken!

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Sorry for the late updated; the word "school" will tell you everything. But, back to the story: Asbel's definately going to do something stupid, but he will discover something, no actually two things, quite worthwhile... **

**Discalimer: Nope, don't own any of the Nausicaän characters **_**or**_** the Levi stone (though OCs are not included...)**

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Takurami Hakken! - Plottings Discovered!<p>

_"Hmm...," Lord Yupa grumbled and rested his bearded chin onto his chest, working something out from the information Asbel had just told him._

_"Are you sure that it was Nadasaru and Sedona talking?" the swordsman asked his pupil._

_To this Asbel made a face. "How could I ever forget the voice of that _brat_!"_

_The two were currently in Asbel's room; Lord Yupa sitting on a chair at a table and Asbel leaning against the wall. _

_"Let us go through this again: you were descending the central staircase when you heard someone call Nadasaru. And because you were tailing him, you hid out of sight and listened on the conversation which the two were leading. You then heard that the plan was going out perfectly, correct?" Yupa inquired and Asbel nodded._

_As his master tugged at his beard in deep thought, Asbel was racking his brains for a plausible answer. What had Sedona meant by, _"The plan is going perfectly well."_? So she had been playing along her brother's suspicious line after all! But what were they planning? Just what...?_

_"It is certainly something worth investigating." Lord Yupa said, standing up and walking up to him. "But don't you go around and investigate by yourself, Asbel. This matter will need to be investigated with great care and secrecy, so you stay where you are."_

_"Why! I can watch for myself, if that's what you mean!" Asbel retorted stubbornly._

_His master scowled at him. "I know you Asbel; do you think I haven't learned much about my pupil even in just a few months! And anyway, I'm more concerned that you'll do something reckless and bring the whole thing down!"_

_"Who said I'm reckless!" he asked back, fighting to keep his head cool._

_Lord Yupa raised an eyebrow. "Many reckless people I have seen have often devised from my warnings to be cautious and done the exact opposite, and most of the times the whole situation flew into the air."_

_Then he sighed. "Listen, Asbel. I know that you are anxious and concerned about Nausicaä, that she might be in danger, and also know that love makes people really blind, but-"_

_"What's love got to do with this?" Asbel interjected, somewhat irritated and upon which brought himself another glare from his master._

_"Don't you dare interrupt again, my young prince!" the swordsman thundered. "And it's usless denying it, I know that you are in love with Nausicaä!"_

_Asbel opened his mouth to retort, but Lord Yupa got the better of him._

_"Listen Asbel, just listen to me, _please_!" Yupa begged at the Pejite prince and sighed. "Just don't do anything rash, all right? For the sake of the Valley and for Nausicaä's sake."_

_The young Pejite glared at his master, then grudgingly nodded. _

_"All right." he growled._

_His mood, which had already been fowl, became even more darker. He sank into his bed and crossed his arms in a stubborn way. If his master forced him to stay here quiet as a mole, then..._

_"All right," he said defiantly. "I won't budge from this bed even an inch."_

_His master made a deep, resigned sigh, as he saw his pupil's sulking attitude, then went for the door. "Very well, do as you please. I'll come and inform you if anything happens."_

_And with these words, Lord Yupa left the room, shutting the door behind him and leaving a fuming Asbel in his room.  
><em>

* * *

><p>That had been their initial plan. But now Asbel was hiding at the edge of the forest which confined with the west field where the Kumian ship was currently resting, craning his neck to get a closer look at the ship and with the words ringing in his ears, <em>"...Don't do anything reckless...<em>"

He grimaced. Well, he was doing the exact opposite of what his master had told him to do, so he supposed he _was_ reckless after all. _'But am not a coward.'_ he told himself flatly. _'I'm definitely not going to lie low when that Nadasaru's plan is still on the loose.'_

But had smuggling into the ship been a good idea? He wasn't exactly sure; he wasn't yet in the ship, so he had still the chance to go back and...

"Right, as if I'd do _that_!" he snorted sarcastically to himself.

No, he was going to break into that ship and discover whatever plan those two siblings have been concocting for the past few days.

He turned his attention again to the ship. The sun had already set and dusk was coming, bringing shadows and the darkness of night with it. But something was weird: There were very few soldiers patrolling the ship; Asbel couldn't tell from where he was if it was the same inside, but he had an unnatural feeling that something was wrong.

Just as a sentinel turned a corner, for the second time in an hour, and went out of sight, he rushed out from the thicket and over to an open window, just a few yards away. He look sideways and into the window to check that the coast was clear, then jumped into the ship.

_'Idiots. What are they thinking, leaving the ship so open and unguarded!'_ Asbel thought as he landed onto the hard and cold floor. The Pejite prince look around at his surroundings and found that he was in a small, rectangular room, dimly lit by a central lamp that gave out a gloomy light. The room contained nothing other than a metal table with loads of twisted, transparent glass bottles, various evil-looking liquids in them.

_'And what are they for?'_ he thought, inspecting the glass vials from a safe distance, all the while frowning. Why would Nadasaru bring experiments with him on a journey?

He shrugged. Who knows what strange and twisted thoughts passed through the mind of that Kumian prince. Then, Asbel shuffled silently towards the door and opened a crack. Immediately, a thin line of strong neon light flooded into the dimly lit room, nearly dazzling Asbel's poor eyes.

As his eyes adjusted to the new light, he saw a wall; he opened the door an inch more and stuck his head out: A long corridor, with no one in sight, full of doors. He stepped out of the room and into the corridor, looking around and still not letting his guard down. Now that he was in a stronger light, he noticed that the walls and floor around him were unnaturally shiny, too shiny to be ceramic and had a suspicious look about them. He touched a wall and recoiled.

"What the...!" he gasped, then, remembering where he was, bit his tongue off. These were out of Ohmu shells! He looked around again in disgust. _'The hole ship is made out of insect shells! No wonder they had to hunt so many...'_

Shuffling feet and loud, laughing voices caught his attention and, panicking slightly, he ducked out of sight, hiding himself in a dark corner. As the voices came closer, Asbel was able to catch the conversation.

"...and I heard that Nadasaru-sama has enticed the Valley princess entirely! Heard that he even proposed to her...!" one soldier said, and his companion laughed heartily.

"Heard that too. Seen her though? She's quite a beauty!" the other said and there was a slurp, as if they were drinking.

_'Hang on,'_ Asbel grunted inwardly, listening intently. _'Yeah, they_ are_ drunk!'_

"Garn," the first soldier drawled, taking another gulp at his beer. "Too bad that that princess won't live to see our Nadasaru-sama rule the world!"

The two began to laugh senselessly and gradually their voices faded away, leaving a horror-struck Asbel frowning and panicking at the carelessly spoken words of the two.

What was Nadasaru planning? Now, Nausicaä was definitely in danger.

His eyes fell upon an air conduction, where the air was channeled into the various rooms. A perfect way to explore enemy ships.

Asbel heaved himself up into the metal tunnel. The tunnel was big enough for him to crouch on all fours, so he began to make his way to find Nadasaru, and possibly Sedona.

While he searched, his hand touched something small and hard in his breast pocket, making him stop and remember. Because in his right pocket was a small, tear drop shaped blue stone, which Lord Yupa had found in the ruins of ShinLaputa and had given it to Asbel saying, "Here. It's a crystal of aetherium, which only the ShinLaputans could grow. It's said to protect whom ever you love from harm. Keep it, and give it to the most important person to you...". The stone had been in his pocket ever since.

Other words spoken by his master recurred to Asbel now that he remembered, something he had said only a while ago: _"I know that you are in love with Nausicaä!"_

Before, he had thought it as far-fetched. Now, surprisingly, he understood and admitted it: he loved Nausicaä. He didn't know from when, but without realizing it, Nausicaä had become a too important and dear person for him to lose.

_'Nausicaä...'_ As he thought of the Valley princess, he smiled and his heart warmed up, making him close his eyes for a moment. He began to smell her sweet, musky scent as he saw her laughing and smiling kindly at him, her beautiful orange hair being gently moved by the winds while she played with Teto. Her angelic face and features, brimming of kindness and of love for all living beings. Yes, he loved this gentle and unearthly creature. He had fallen in love with her kindness and her radiating warmth and was going to protect her, the person who had shown him what life really meant.

Asbel clutched the small stone in his pocket absent-mindedly, gritting his teeth. He didn't care whether he was the predestined knight or not; he loved Nausicaä and nothing was going to stop him from giving her this stone.

* * *

><p>It took him what seemed hours to find Nadasaru. Each time he passed a panel from which light flooded from, he would stop and listen intently, only to find soldiers or other crew members. At last, he came to a panel which emitted a blueish light, unlike all the other dazzling neon lights. And even before he came at a stop before the panel, he knew instantly that Nadasaru was in that room. In fact, he already caught his voice, laughing lightly.<p>

"...Yes, our dear princess Nausicaä is indeed _very_ sharp." the kumian prince said and Asbel's face darkened. "She saw through my excellent play of a love-torn fool! Imagine that!"

The young Pejite came closer to the lined panel and peaked in: A large and vast room, which seemed more like a bedroom, and Nadasaru, along with Sedona, sitting at the end of it.

Sedona snickered. "Oh Aniue-sama, how could such a common girl like her see through your flawless play!"

Nadasaru seemed to shrug. "Who knows, maybe the people of this Valley, along with the Pejites, have got such a knack! But let's return to you, Sedona. You told me before that your part is succeeding. Tell me!"

The younger Kumian sibling smiled and, nodding, she said, "You must see his face, Aniue-sama! That Pejite prince is absolutely bewitched by me!"

Asbel's frown deepened. What!

"But I must confess, however," Sedona went on. " that I am still riddled to the fact that he is still so captured by princess Nausicaä."

"Well, why doesn't our royal Pejite guest answer this question directly?" Nadasaru asked, his voice rising so that it could be heard clearly.

There came a snap of fingers and the panel on which Asbel had been pressing his ear against, fell open so that he tumbled onto the ground and into the room with a cry.

"Ouch! What did you do that... OH DAMN!" he hissed, massaging his head and looking up furiously to Nadasaru, who had stood up and was coming towards him.

"Tut tut." Nadasaru tutted, shaking his head. "Is that how a Pejite prince behaves, smuggling into the ship of one of his fellow friends?"

"Shut up!"

"Oh," the kumian prince drawled, clearly acting the applauded and pained attitude. He crouched near Asbel. "Such strong and vulgar words...! Well, no matter, I had been planing to invite you to my ship, Asbel, for quite some time. I knew, however, that sooner or later you would come to pay me a visit. But let me greet you properly, shall we?"

And just as Nadasaru stood up, a door banged open and soldiers spilled into the room, all armed and weapons raised, and hurried to surround Asbel. Strong arms wound themselves on his arms, pulling him upwards and consequently blocking him.

"Welcome on my ship, the Angora, prince Asbel of Pejite!" Nadasaru said, bowing deeply infront of him.

As Asbel struggled, he shouted, "Quit acting the innocent, Nadasaru! What are you planing to do with Nausicaä! Spit it out!"

Nadasaru gave him a smirk, but otherwise ignored him. Then he turned to Sedona, who had been watching silently from the chair. "Well, Sedona, what shall we do with him? I could have him killed right here, but he is your prey after all!"

Sedona regarded Asbel for the first time he had tumbled into the room. Her sparkling jade green eyes gave out nothing. Then, as she opened her mouth, her lips curled into a cold, cruel smile.

"Because he had come here to discover our plan, Aniue-sama, why don't we give him what he wants. Tell him, Aniue." she said, her charming voice giving an extra tone of cruelty and danger to her words. She moved her gaze away from Asbel to her brother. "Then, when princess Nausicaä shall come here as our _guest_, we will kill him in front of her. Do you not think it a perfect way to draw out her Darkness, as she will be seeing the death of her knight?"

Nadasaru gave out a cold, ruthless laugh. "Dear me, Sedona, you have indeed become a ruthless sister! And a perfect plan it is!"

He nodded and looked at Asbel again. "Very well, knight of the blue savior, listen closely!"

"Why d'you keep calling me Nausicaä's knight! I'm not-" Asbel interjected, but was cut of by another outburst from Nadasaru.

"Tell me,"the Kumian prince asked mockingly, smirking, after he had finished laughing his head off. "Are you blind, boy? Is it not clear enough that _you_ are Nausicaä's knight! Dear oh dear, so deeply in love, are we? Well, here is the plan that you've been dying to hear: We want to draw out Nausicaä's Darkness. Once I do this, the whole world will be under my possession along with the Darkness!"

Asbel was speechless. The only thing the managed to utter was, "What..!"

Nadasaru made a smug grin. "Have you any idea of how much destructive power Nausicaä's real Darkness has? What you've seen so far is nothing, you might as well compare the Darkness's powers to a Warrior God, only with much more dark, subtle powers."

"How...?" the Pejite prince mouthed, still flabbergasted.

"Once Nausicaä's soul is has completely detached from her body, her Darkness will immediately start to surface. Also, because her soul will be, er.. shall we say, maintained in another realm, she will not be able to interfere with the surfacing process until it has completed and then, well, I think you can think for yourself about the consequences..." he explained, a sly grin of pure evil spreading across his handsome features while he watched contemptuously how his words struck Asbel one after the other.

"YOU...!"Asbel shouted, beside himself with fury and struggled again to wrench free from the steadfast grips on him.

Then, without warning, something hard collided at the back of his head. After that, there came complete darkness.

* * *

><p>Lord Yupa knocked firmly on the door to Asbel's room. "Asbel?"<p>

There came no answer. The swordsman opened the door and stepped in. One sweep with his eyes told him everything: Asbel had gone to the ship.

"Oh Asbel, why didn't you just stay where you were?" he sighed, half in exasperation, half in frustration.

Lord Yupa backed away and, closing the door quietly, turned and went to find Nausicaä, now Nadasaru's most formidable target.

* * *

><p>"Nausicaä?" Lord Yupa called, knocking lightly this time onto the princess's door.<p>

Hearing no answer, he opened the door. The room was empty, but the swordsman knew only too well where Nausicaä was. He headed without hesitation to the wall on the left, where a month ago, Teto had led him to Nausicaä's study.

He pushed lightly with his hand and an opening opened in the thick stone wall. Ducking, he stepped into the narrow passageway and began to make his way to the bottom. As he had predicted, the study room was lit, a warm glow flooding out from the small crack of the door.

And there she was, sitting, or rather, curled up on the chair, her face buried into her arms from view. Teto came out from her hair and gave the swordsman a look, as if pleading him to do something.

"Nausicaä..." he muttered and went over to the princess.

As he neared, Nausicaä slowly raised her head and looked up at him, but avoided direct contact with his eyes. Her cheeks carried red marks from being buried too long and her eyes were red from crying.

"Yupa-sama...," she whispered, clearly surprised. "Why...?"

"My dear, have you any idea how many are looking for you? No one's seen you for hours, they're all worried sick, up there!" Lord Yupa said, smiling, and moved his gaze up to the ceiling of the study.

Nausicaä made a face. "Even prince Nadasaru?"

The swordsman seemed to hesitate. "Well, I don't about him... Why do you ask?"

Suddenly, the princess stood up abruptly and blurted out, "You knew! You knew all the time that Nadasaru wasn't in love with me, didn't you Yupa-sama!"

Lord Yupa raised his eyebrows in surprise, then shook his head.

"No, I knew not." he said, then looked straight at Nausicaä. "But Nausicaä, listen carefully to what I am about to say. Nadasaru is certainly after you; whether you heart of what I don't know."

"How can you tell?"

"Because how he looks at you, Nausicaä. Ever since that Kumian prince has arrived, he has looked at you with such a powerful, almost dangerous light in his eyes... Asbel and I were one of the first to notice." he told her.

He hesitated and Nausicaä seemed to have understood that there was something he was unwilling to tell.

"There's something else, isn't it?" she asked, peering up into his face.

The swordsman gave out a grunt of resignation. To be read by your own pupil!

"Have you seen Asbel around lately?" he asked, suddenly changing the course of the conversation.

Surprised, Nausicaä shook her head. "No. Why?"

Lord Yupa looked at her grimly. "You see, Asbel is currently on the Kumian ship and I believe, as well as fear, that he has been captured."

"WHAT!" she cried, shocked. "Why! I mean, why would Nadasaru want to capture Asbel! He hasn't done anything wrong to him!"

Her former master sighed several times before answering.

"To get at you, Nadasaru obviously had to come closer to you. And Asbel, being a trusted and very close friend of your's, was clearly in his way. You might imagine what a perfect excuse would be to take Asbel prisoner if he were to be discovered sneaking on his ship..."

Nausicaä buried her face into her hands, making an exasperated gasp. "I _told_ him not to do anything!"

Yupa placed a hand on her shoulder. "Nausicaä, you must act as if you knew nothing of this. I suspect Nadasaru will use Asbel against you in someway, so you must be prepared!"

She nodded, then slowly lowered her hands from her face, revealing an exceptionally blank expression, her emotions of a second ago seemingly having disappeared.

"Yupa-sama..." she said in a toneless voice. "Am I destined to become a blood-lusting monster?"

The swordsman frowned deeply. "What are you..?"

The princess suddenly pulled away from her masters hand.

"I can still feel it!" she cried in a hollow whisper, clutching her hands to her chest. "Something heavy and dark... and hot...! As if my Darkness would be burning my insides..!"

Lord Yupa took a step closer to her and gently pulled her closer to himself.

"Nausicaä...!"

"Now, I really understand what the Ohmu feel... after going berserk from hatred and then killing, the Ohmu cry and grieve. Now, I understand; I feel... This Darkness, this terrible hatred and rage that hides in me, it grows every time it tries to emerge! It's becoming so strong; I can hardly stop myself now!" Nausicaä cried in a pained voice, then buried her head in her hands. "Yupa-sama, I'm scared! I don't want to be swallowed by my Darkness! I don't want to kill anymore! No, no, no!"

"Why! Just why am I the Savior! How could fate possibly rely on me to tame my Darkness! I can't, I just _can't_!" She sobbed, shaking her head furiously.

"Nausicaä, you have a treasure in you that many of us lack of..." he said, tightening his grip on her. "You alone have the power to love all living beings, whether human or insect! Your heart shines with the purity of compassion and forgiving! Do not let despair extinguish that light!"

Then he broke from her slightly and looked into her wet eyes.

"You are not alone, Nausicaä. Have any idea how many people are protecting and constantly watching over you?"

The princess slightly shook her head.

"Many." the swordsman said flatly. "Count me, Asbel or the entire Valley as an example! You are not alone when it comes to fight; we all shall fight with you and if necessary protect you, whether physically or mentally!"

"Watching over me...?" Nausicaä repeated in a soft murmur, as if grasping the meaning. She was beginning to smile.

Lord Yupa nodded. "Yes, that's right! We are all watching over you, Nausicaä. I dare say that a particular person is only too much protective on you... Now, let us go and fox out Asbel before he gets into further trouble!"

Now fully recovered, Nausicaä smiled and nodded. Teto started to nuzzle her in the ear, sensing her mood lift. Responding to the fox-squirel, she placed a hand between his ears and began scratching him affectionately.

While she and Lord Yupa started to climb up the narrow stone stairs through the passageway, she said, "Yupa-sama?"

"Yes dear?"

"Thank you for being like a father to me."

The swordsman looked down to meet Nausicaä's gaze and smiled.

"Nausicaä, you have always been a daughter to me, save before Jhil died. In those days you were the daughter a close friend."

"Father would be thankful to you, Yupa-sama."

The swordsman nodded. "I'm sure he would be."

* * *

><p>There came a knock and the prince gave permission to enter. In came a cloaked Sedona.<p>

"Well?"

"They are starting to move, Aniue."

"Hmm..." Nadasaru said thoughtfully. Then he nodded. "Very well, we shall carry it out today. Give order to start to fill the tanks."

Sedona bowed her head. "As you wish."

She started to head for the when she hesitated, then turned.

"Aniue, are you intending to do what I have proposed with the Pejite prince?" she asked.

Her brother turned to gaze out of the window, but remained silent for a moment before replying.

"I have considered it. But I think we can find other useful plans for prince Asbel before eliminating him. Now go."

The Kumian princess bowed one more and was gone with a swish of her black cloak.

* * *

><p><strong>Now that the wheel of happenings has been pushed, it will start to turn and spin faster and faster; will it bring good or bad tidings...?<br>****Well? How many of you saw this coming? Nadasaru's true colours revealed: Bad, black and evil. Going after her Darkness... Nausicaä'd better be on her guard... And what about our Pejite prince? Stubborn and reckless as he is, he just had to find himself some **_**big**_** trouble. But, on the bright side, he (finally) realizes that he loves her (got him a bit too much time, if you ask me...)! Now, it's Nausicaä's turn to admit her own feelings... Just you wait ... (this might take a bit of lo~ng chapters to finally achieve this though!) But while you're waiting, give me some feedback, all right...! ^o^**


	10. Chapter 10: Yami ga Yomigaeru Toki

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Time for Nadasaru to revel the truth of his plans to our heroine, but... Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any of the nausicaän characters. They all belong to Miya-san! **

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: Yami ga Yomigaeru Toki ~ When Darkness Returns<p>

They had reached Nausicaä's room when, just as the princess was about to open the door of her room, Lord Yupa stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Remember, you must act as if you knew nothing of what happened to Asbel!" he murmured in her ear, as if afraid that someone would hear.

Nausicaä nodded, then opened the door. And found Nadasaru standing in the doorway, one hand raised as if to knock. Both of them were surprised by the presence of the other; Nadasaru's eyes quickly darted from Nausicaä to Lord Yupa and back again. He looked as if he was more surprised of Lord Yupa than the fact of the timing.

"Prince Nadasaru!" the princess cried. "How come you're here!"

The Kumian prince bowed his head in an appologetic way.

"Forgive me, dear Nausicaä, for coming in this late hour, but I have a matter of dire importance to discuss with you. If you would follow me, I would like to invite you to my ship" he said and only now did Nausicaä notice his serious face.

"Can't it wait tomorrow?" she asked, hesitating slightly.

She had been called out already once and Nadasaru had started to talk nonsense. She wasn't exactly going to be fooled another time.

Nadasaru shook his head. "No. It concerns the thing you talked to me this afternoon."

Now on her guard, she nodded and consented. "Very well."

"Lord Yupa, forgive me of whisking Nausicaä off. It's quite a delicate matter." Nadasaru apologized to the swordsman.

"Oh, not to worry, prince Nadasaru! In fact, I should be on my way: I must search for my pupil, which is probably hiding somewhere!"the swordsman said as excuse and made his way down the corridor the opposite way.

But as Nadasaru turned his back to Yupa, his and the princess's eyes met for a fraction of a second; both nodded. Then, swordsman and princess went on their separate ways, but both thinking the same thing: Something was coming.

* * *

><p>"What did you just say?" Nausicaä managed to utter, utterly incredulous.<p>

Her mouth literary dropped open as she stared wide-eyed at the Kumian prince before her.

They were sitting facing each other at a table in Nadasaru's room, on his ship. The window at their right showed the deep dark blue of night. The room was naturally well-lit so that the two could see each other well.

After taking another deep breath, for the fourth time to be precise, Nadasaru answered.

"Asbel was found dead in the Toxic Forest late this evening, probably having been attacked by an insect." Nadasaru repeated. He paused, then carried on. "A few hours ago, a watchman alerted that a flying gunship had just passed my ship, heading in the direction of the Forest... Nausicaä, I'm sorry... There was nothing we could do..."

He looked up at her, eyes full of sorrow and compassion.

Nausicaä let her gaze drop to her lap, as she quickly began to think a plausible and genuine reaction to the prince's flat lie. Thanks to Lord Yupa, who had warned her, she knew that Asbel was held captive on this ship, but whether he was still all right...

No, she musn't think about Asbel. Not now, at any rate.

Her shoulders began to quiver dangerously and her face contorted into one of pain. Instantly, she clapped her hands to her face as she began to cry. She heard Nadasaru stand up and probably had made a movement towards her, but she didn't react.

"No..." she whispered through her hands. "It can't be... Asbel!"

She heard the prince re-seat himeslf onto his chair and through her fingers; she saw him looking at her with a strange, twisted expretion. But his voice was far different from the expression he wore.

"Oh Nausicaä..." he muttered softly.

Nausicaä went on weeping into her hands for a few seconds longer. Then, thinking to do the thing properly, as she really would've done in reality, she straightened up suddenly, wiping off angrily her 'tears'.

"Where's the proof that Asbel is really.. is really..."she broke off, fighting off 'tears' again.

She saw the light in Nadasaru's eyes quickly change, as he met her gaze, into a softer, compassionate one. Oh, he was doing it really good.

"This,"the Kumian prince said, taking out something brown from his pocket. "is what my men where able to find of him that were... were still hole."

He swallowed hard and passed the brown thing to Nausicaä. She took it into her hands and immediately recognized it as Asbel's funny hat that he always wore. And nearly recoiled as she saw that there was something brownish-red all over the hat. Something that looked very much like...

"Blood...!" she exclaimed, this time really shocked.

Nadasaru nodded gravely.

But the blood had a funny look about it. On the pretext of brushing the hat on her cheeks, she gave it a very small sniff: The stain smelt of artificial as if it were paint.

_"A clever trap."_ the princess thought as she went on playing the part of an aggrieved damsel. _"And he's really good. Hadn't Yupa-sama told me, I really might've fallen into his trap..."_

There came a knock and a servant girl came in, carrying a tray with foaming cups and a teapot. Nadasaru barely spared the servant a look; the girl set the cups before Nausicaä and her prince, then retreated quietly with a bow out of the room.

Nausicaä looked at the foaming cup before her. The liquid was light brown and a light, sweet scent wafted from the cup.

"Drink."Nadasaru said gently. "It's Chico tea sweetened with honey. It'll make you feel better."

Cautiously, she took the cup in her hands and gave the tea a little sip, ready to spit it out if she tasted anything dangerous such as drugs or worse, poisons. To her relief, it was just a harmless Chico tea. The warm liquid ran down her throat and instantly released a warm and cosy sensation in her, making her realize just how much tense she had been.

"Better?" the Kumian prince asked, taking a sip from his own goblet.

Nausicaä nodded, sniffing a little, then took another gulp. She was begging to feel strange. Why?

"But I still do wonder..." Nadasaru continued, taking his cup and examining it closely. "Why on earth would Asbel wonder into the Jungle in the middle of the night? I mean, he wasn't running away or something..."

"Don't you dare call Asbel a coward!" Nausicaä blurted out suddenly, standing up.

Nadasaru could tell her all the lies in the world, but she wasn't going to let him insult Asbel in anyway, not after what he had done with him.

But just as she straightened up, a searing pain spread across her entire body, making her gasp and fall to the ground.

"What...!" she manged to gasp through gritted teeth, before another wave of sharp pain overwhelmed her.

She simply lied there, trembling, while Nadasaru stood up and came up to her, her eyes following each and every move the raven-haired prince made.

"Dear, dear. Quite clever of you, Nausicaä." he drawled in a cold voice, crouching at her side. "You saw through all of my little traps I had set for you, not to mention my perfect acting. I wonder though, how you knew about Asbel..."

At this Nausicaä's eyes widened with horror. Nadasarus smirk widened.

"Yeees. I knew you were counter feinting too. And yes, there was paralyzing poison in that tea. But I'm afraid I can't let you go like this, Nausicaä. You see, you are the key and heart of my plan. Oh, and don't worry about Asbel. You'll see him soon enough. I can't promise you alive, though..."

He gave out a cold laugh. Nausicaä tried to open her mouth to shout, but found that her jaw would not open at her command. All she could do was glare up at Nadasaru with all the hate she could muster.

Then, Nadasaru bent down again and began to stroke her on the head. "Yes..., that's right... Loath me, _hate_ me as much as you like! Soon, very soon you'll be mine! Now sleep, sleep my dear, sweet Nausicaä..."

At his touch, an incredible disgust and repulsive feeling overwhelmed her and with all her might, she tried to back away from his stoking hand. But her vision was starting to blur, her eyeslids to droop as an all overwhelming drousiness crept over her.

_'No...!'_she thought, fighting of the wariness. _'I can't... I just can't give up...!'_

But too late. The poison was taking effect too quickly and after a few seconds, Nausicaä lay unconscious on rugged floor with Nadasaru looming down on her, an expression of victory and mocking pity stamped across his face.

* * *

><p>Nausicaä stirred, feeling something cold tugging at her wrists. She opened her eyes and slowly raised her hanging head. She heard jingling chains just above her ears and snapping her gaze up to her hands, she saw handcuffs chained to each wrist.<p>

"What...!" she cried, tugging at the chains which seemed to come from high above. "Where am I!"

Frantically looking around her surroundings, she found that she was standing, or more precisely hanging, on a metallic disk. The only thing that surrounded the princess was complete darkness, only to be cut by a ray or beam of strong neon light, illuminating just the spot where she was chained to. She had also been changed and was now wearing a plain white gown.

"Teto!" she said as she realized that her faithful companion was nowhere in sight.

Had he been taken captive too? Was Asbel in such a state like she was?

"I must be deep at the center of the ship..." she muttered, still looking around. "Trying to do something now wouldn't bring anything, I'm still too weak..."

"Yes..., I agree with that." A voice said from behind her.

Nausicaä spun, or did her best to turn around as she was chained. Lights beamed down to reveal Nadasaru, standing at the rear end of a bridge which connected the circular platform to the wall.

"Nadasaru!"

The kumian prince raised a hand in a kind of salute and started to make his way towards her. "I see our dear guest has woken up. Well then, we may proceed!"

A gurgling noise started at his words, coming from deep below Nausicaä's feet. She stared down into the darkness, then glared up at Nadasaru, who had by now reached her.

"What are you intending to do with me!" she spat, giving him a look of deep loathing. "Where's Asbel! What have done with him!"

Nadasaru smiled. A cold, ruthless one it was.

"I have told you before," he breathed down her neck, sending chills down her spine. "that you are the key and heart of my plan. Well, not entirely. You are the beginning, but what I really seek..."

He slipped a thin finger under her chin.

"...is your Darkness."

She gasped. Her eyes widened in horror. Her anger and loathing was extinguished immediately and replaced by panic and fear. Her Darkness, the destruction of the world...

She looked into his eyes; shocked, fearful and lips trembling.

"You knew...?" she whispered, utterly speechless.

Nadasaru made a derisive noise, eyes rolling. "Of course I knew! I knew all the time, ever since I discovered the prophecy in the ruins of ShinLaputa, years before. I have been preparing for this moment for years!"

With every single word the Kumian prince said, Nausicaä was rendered more and more speechless; her eyes widening further and further by horror. Anger boiled up in her insides as she saw the light of _fun_, yes he was actually enjoying himself, in Nadasaru's eyes as he watched her reactions, sending the corners of his mouth in an even more twisted form.

"That's right, my dear princess. I knew from the start of you and your Darkness. In fact, it was the main reason for which I came to pay you a visit." he said, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"What about the Ohmu hunters?" she asked, horrified by the revelations. The answer to her question was even more flabbergasting.

"Them? I sent them on purpose here to hunt. Even though hunting in my kingdom is legal, it's forbidden and punishable in all other lands and kingdoms. But you, a naive and completely clueless of rules young princess, were perfect to manipulate and coax with simple lies."

He laughed insanely again; cold, cruel and ruthless. The quivering of Nausicaä's shoulders became more violent with each second.

"You sent them on _purpose_...! YOU _KILLED_ THE INSECTS ON PURPOSE!" she screamed, launching herself onto the prince, only to be held steady by the chains bounding her.

The rage that had been simmering inside her seemed to have reached boiling point and was bursting again, sending something cold at her blind mind.

_'Not again...!'_ she thought, freezing.

"You can scream and infuriate yourself as much as like you like, Nausicaä. But no one will hear your screams, not in this ship...!" the prince called over his back while looking down at their feet.

The gurgling noise was coming nearer and louder, then became a full roar of thundering water. At once, lights shone down, lighting fully the place and making Nausicaä gasp.

She was in a vast, vertically elongated hall. What lay below the small platform she had been standing on, was a huge glass tank, which was now currently filled with a thick, blue substance that looked eerily like...

"...Ohmu blood!" she cried, horrified. She quickly turned to Nadasaru. "Why! For what...?"

But the prince didn't even need to open his mouth to reply because the answer came into her mind as quickly as her reaction was.

"For such a worthless thing!" she gasped, glaring at him. She flinched back from the revolting sight at her feet, pressing her eyes shut. "How could you...!"

Nadasaru stepped closer and put a hand on her quivering shoulders, making her jump back with a snarl.

"DON'T YOU-"

"Nausicaä,"he said, sneering even more but his voice changing to a coaxing one. "Have you any idea of how much _power_ you hold inside yourself? Your Darkness has such an immense power that it could bring down entire armies with a single movement! Think about _that_! Just think about how many great kingdoms and empires would have to bow their heads to you and at your power!"

He firmly placed a hand on her shoulder again, drawing her nearer to him. Nausicaä furiously shook off and backed away from him disgust.

"Get off me!" she screamed into his face, anger boiling. "I don't care how much or even the power my Darkness has! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN TO THAT! JUST LEAVE US ALONE, WILL YOU!"

Her volley of shouts filled the entire hall, nearly deafening for a moment the constant gurgling of the tank, but never quite wiping off the smirk on Nadasaru's face. Hadn't it been for her manacles holding her off, Nausicaä would have by now leaped onto him.

"Well then," he said cooly. A voice sounded, saying, "Filling completed.". He proceeded. "I think I have provoked you enough..."

"What-!"

Nadasaru snapped his fingers once and the handcuffs automatically opened themselves, making Nausicaä crush down onto the floor. It was not long before Nadasaru had her firmly in his grip and was walking towards the edge of the platform, the orange-haired princess struggling furiously all the while.

"Let go of me! LET GO!"she screamed, frantically fighting to escape Nadasaru's arms.

And surprisingly, he _did_ let go, though still held her firmly by the shoulders, letting her face the swirling blue pool of blood. She swayed dangerously, then she whipped her around to him, demanding, "Nadasaru, what...!"

The Kumain prince smirked. "Time for you to take a little nap, my dear princess...!"

And with these words, Nadasaru let go of her and pushed her over the edge, making her fall into the pool with a scream.

She plunged deeply into the bloody waters, and immediately began to swim over to the surface. But something, a powerful force, was dragging her down. She beginning to feel a sharp pain in her lungs as the air she had sucked in was bursting; her vision to began to blur. Not that she could've seen much since the blue Ohmu blood was too dense.

_'No!'_ her voice sounded in her head as she finally opened her mouth and bubbles of air poured out of her. She stared aimlessly upwards at Nadasaru's constantly fading dark silhouette, her hand outstretched before her as she was sinking ever deeply into the pool of blood.

_'No!' _she repeated. Darkness was engulfing her quickly. _'...Asbel...!'_

* * *

><p>Thick white mist was surrounding her. She took a step forwards.<p>

_"What is this place?"_ she asked herself, looking around, only to find mist. _"Asbel...! Teto...! Yupa-sama...!"_

But nothing. The only sound was a deathly silence and the silent mist floating through the air.

The princess took another step. Then another. She began to walk ahead, then broke in a frantic run; her eyes searching desperately for a sign of life.

_"Where are you, all of you!"_ she called, turning and searching.

The mist was begging to lift as she sped onwards. And suddenly, she was standing in a completely different place: A vast room.

There came a sigh from behind and a woman said in a resigned voice, _"So you have finally come, Nausicaä..." _

Turning slowly, Nausicaä answered in a whisper, _"Where am I...?"_

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh... Where did Nausicaä land? Who is this mysterious woman? Is Nadasaru going to succeed in his plans or...? And what about Asbel and Yupa? Next chapter, finally some explanations are waiting for Nausicaä! About her Darkness, her fate and... well you'll see! ^o^<br>****But, in the meantime (yes, I think you know already what I am about to say) pop in a review for me, will you? I just love them, so be a dear! Oh and chap. 11 might take a little longer to complete, I have a feeling that it's going to take much lo~nger than expected...**


	11. Chapter 11: Isekai: Akasareru Shinjitsu

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Oh my goodness~! I'm so~ sorry it to me so~ long to finish this damn chapter! You don't know, I got really stuck up in so many places... but gosh! I think this is the longest chapter I've **_**ever**_** wrote! Anyway, I'm really sorry (for everything)! Moushiwake gozaimasen m(_ _)m  
><strong>**Well, back to the story... Well, explanations are coming, but... quite slowly... The laws of Isekai (yeah, well, you'll find out) are quite a bit complicated, so you might not get it (pm me if you need help). Oh, and sorry about the quite long list of translation notes down there: It's all Shunhi's fault! She speaks in such an old Japanese (well, okay, she **_**was**_** based on ancient Japanese, but who cares...). Just bare with me, will you?**

**Disclaimer: (I'm finding this quite stupid now, I mean 1. This and 2. Do honestly need to constantly remind your readers that they're not your characters throughout the whole story! C'mon! Anyway, to keep lawyers happy...) No, no and NO, I don't own ANY of the nausicaan characters, OK! Oh, and Isekai too isn't exactly 100% my imagination: I burrowed some bits from Miyazaki-sensei**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Yokatta: Thank goodness  
><strong>**Damare: a more higher form of **_**shut up  
><strong>_**Sare: Be gone  
><strong>**Waga uruwashiki hitoyo: Our(my) beautiful person  
><strong>**Damaranu noka: will you be quiet or, again, shut up  
><strong>**Kage: shadow  
><strong>**Yami wa sare: Darkness, leave / be gone  
><strong>**Suman nou: old way to say sorry, usually used by master or higher ranked people to lower ones  
><strong>**Gomenasai: I'm sorry  
><strong>**Dame jya. Yuke: No. Go  
><strong>**Uso dawa: It's a lie  
><strong>**Kore ga shinjitsu jya: This is the truth  
><strong>**Yuruse: Forgive me  
><strong>**Hou: Oh  
><strong>**Yamete: Stop it**

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: Isekai - Akasareru Shinjitsu ~ The Truth Revealed<p>

"Where am I...?" Nausicaä asked in a whisper, utterly lost. "Who are you?"

She was standing in a vast, bare room, most notably made out of wood. Candles stood strewn through the room, giving it a mysterious light. At the far end of the room, on a small podium, sat a woman, whose features were somehow obscured. Nausicaä started to walk towards her.

The woman chuckled, still in a slightly resigned tone. "You have even forgotten about this place? Dear me, how people are indeed forgetful... You are in Isekai, the world of the souls of the dead and of those who have lost a place to be. As for me, I am known as Shunhi, the ruler of Isekai."

Nausicaä's eyes widened at the woman Shunhi's words. A small gasp escaped her. "Isekai! Why? How come I'm here? I was about to drown in that pool..." the princess muttered, thoroughly shocked.

How could it be possible? She had been in the tank only a few minutes ago... Just how...?

Seeing her thinking hard, Shunhi smiled grimly. Now that the strange shadows had completely gone, Nausicaä could see her complete features: a tall, slim woman that looked in her mid-fourties; very beautiful, wearing layers upon layers of long and exquisitely embroided robes. She had liquid brown, almond shaped eyes and glistening black hair that fell way beyond her ankles, brought down together at the very end. A single curved red bead rested glimmering upon her forehead.

"You have as many questions as petals on a full blooming sakura tree, Nausicaä!" the beautiful ruler remarked, amused. Then she turned serious again. "That fool of a Kumian; he knew that once you would have drunk Ohmu blood your soul would detach itself from your body... That is why you are here, my child. Isekai is a world which attracts roaming souls."

"If my soul left my body, then Nadasaru will be able to completely take out my Darkness!" Nausicaä realized, panicking. "Nadasaru, what is he doing! And... what about Asbel!"

Shunhi's small red lips curved in a grim smile and she shook her head. "Unfortunately, I do not know what that prince is doing. However, I can show you what has befallen the young Pejite of which you feel and care so strongly for... Come."

Shunhi stood up from her sitting mat and made her way away from the podium. She made a swift movement with her hand and a double door slid open. At once, dazzling light flooded into the now seemingly dimly lit room. The queen ducked her head and stepped out of the room, then looking back at Nausicaä, made a sign to follow.

And as she too stepped out into the corridor, the orange-haired princess gasped as she saw that they were actually in a castle, which was literally floating in the air. Innumerable small clouds floated at their side and a full landscape of land with hills, mountains and forests lay beneath them. But she soon saw that the castle wasn't the only building floating in the air: many others skimmed through the sky, housing and castles alike.

"Ah..." she whispered in awe, her eyes widening in wonder. "How beautiful..."

Shunhi, who had been walking onwards, turned back to her again, but said nothing. She was looking at Nausicaä with a strange look, that looked awfully painful and reminiscing. Nausicaä naturally noticed this, but didn't make any comments to it; she backed away from the wooden rail and followed Shunhi down the corridor.

As they walked, Nausicaä noticed that Shunhi was bare foot, because her footsteps made no noise at all. They kept silent and to themselves all the while; the only sound was the whipping wind and the gentle brushing of Shunhi's long robes.

_'How long is this corridor?'_ she thought, then made a silent sigh. _'I wonder what is happening back in the real world... I have to get back before...'_ She couldn't bring herself to end the mental sentence, as dread and fear spread across her again.

Just then, Shunhi spoke. "Do not fret. Your Darkness will take time to surface and change the physical appearances of your body."

Nausicaä made a jolt of surprise, making her stop dead in her tracks, and she goggled at the queen. "How...?"

The woman gave her a side look from her back as she kept on walking. "What do you think? This is Isekai; mental thoughts are just as clearly audible as verbal ones. In any case, I can read and feel your sentiments."

Then she stopped. They had reached a vast opening to garden, full of plants and trees and with strange, transparent bubbles floating in mid-air. But Nausicaä quickly realized something.

"These plants...,"she said, thunderstruck as she ran over to examine a bush. "they're from the Forest of Decay..." She gasped as recognition dawned upon her.

Shunhi nodded. "Yes, Isekai's soil is pure and free of poisons."

Then, she raised a slim hand and pointed in front, far above her. Nausicaä spun around and caught her breath sharply as she saw, in a bubble, the image of a boy sitting in a room, looking out of a window. A boy who looked unearthly like...

"Asbel!" she cried in relief as she saw her friend well and seemingly unhurt.

Asbel shifted and Lord Yupa came insight. The two seemed to be deep in conversation.

"Yupa-sama! _Yokatta_! He managed to free him...!" Nausicaä muttered in relief, watching the images in the bubble.

Tears began to sting at her eyes. She felt an incredible relief spread across her. How much she had feared that something had happened to him...

"Do not become too overjoyed."Shunhi said in a subtle voice, cutting Nausicaä's moment of joy in seconds. "Those images are not of the present."

The orange haired girl turned to the ruler in disbelief. "What do you mean 'not of the present'?"

Shunhi sighed; her expression softened. "You must know, Nausicaä, that the time here in Isekai runs in a far more complicated way than in your world. Time runs faster and at the same time more slower; this world is a crossworld between alternate times, worlds, universes; past, futures and nows. While in your world things happen fast, here the time becomes more slower, and vice versa. That," she broke off and moved her gaze from Nausicaä to the bubble with Asbel and Lord Yupa. "is why those images are not of now."

"But," Nausicaä couldn't help to splutter. She desperately wanted to cling to the new hope she had found and she wasn't giving it up so quickly. "how do you know? Why couldn't it be of now or a few minutes ago? You don't know that!"

"I would very much like not to be underestimated, my young princess!" Shunhi replied in a steely voice, affronted. "How long do you think I have been in this world?"

Nausicaä opened her mouth to stagger a reply but Shunhi got the better of her.

"More than two thousand. Do you still question my judgement?"

Ashamed, the princess lowered her gaze and shook her head. She heard a sigh coming from Shunhi, who then said, "I can show you where the young Pejite prince is now, but I doubt you will be relieved."

"Please, show me!" Nausicaä didn't hesitate to answer. Even if he hadn't yet been freed, she _had_ to know whether he was all right or not.

The woman obliged and waved a hand. Another bubble glided gently to them and stopped hovering next to the other one.

Nausicaä gasped and her heart missed a beat as she saw an unconscious Asbel lying tethered to a stone wall; blood dripping gently from his bound wrists and face, his brown hair was also matted by sweat and blood. His wore an expression of pain, his chest rose and fell heavily from his panting.

"ASBEL!"she cried, horrified.

Her hands flew to her mouth as she gaped at the bubble; she instinctively took several steps forwards, then froze. She spun around to meet Shunhi's eyes, her heart racing.

"Is he all right!"she demanded.

"He'll live." the queen said, in a quite shockingly indifferent tone.

"What about the images of before, the ones you said that weren't of now! Are they...?"

Shunhi inclined her head. "That may show you what is to be in the future, but it may show you something that will never come to be, in short an impossible alternate future."

She watched closely as Nausicaä turned again to stare at the floating sphere. A slightly stronger wind came blowing fully in their faces, sending petals, hairs and robes swishing back and forth. She covered her face with her long sleeves, protecting herself from the breeze. When the queen lowered her hands, she found the young princess again facing her, brows knitted together.

"I have to go back." Nausicaä said, face set. She could no longer linger in Isekai; she had to get back before matters would get out of hands. "I need you to bring me back to my world."

At these sudden, decisive words, Shunhi looked surprised for a fraction of a second, then smiled bitterly and shook her head. "You still think that I have brought you here, Nausicaä. But it was not me; it was fate. I am sorry, but it is not possible. Not to you who you are now..."

Nausicaä's frown deepened. "What do you mean? There must be a way to get out of here! You are the ruler of Isekai; surely you can...!"

But her voice died away in her throat as she saw Shunhi's constant shaking of her head. The queen raised her head and met Nausicaä's eyes, saying, "Nausicaä, you were fated to come here. You see, Isekai is not just a common underworld. It is a place where lost souls find their true selves, a place where despair and confusion dissolve into guiding light. Nausicaä, the you of now cannot return not to your world, but to your body."

The girl simply gaped at the queen, unable to speak.

"Your soul has changed greatly, ever since your Darkness had begun to surface. The simple fact that you repeatedly struggled to contain the Darkness in you made your soul change. That and many other things made it change: not only your Darkness, but also your fears, sufferings and everything that you went through these past few months. You see, a person's soul changes every day with each happening, good or bad. But around you, things revolved to fast for your soul to adapt. That is also a reason why your Darkness has been born. And finally," Shunhi made a pause and closed her eyes. "because you have discovered what it means to be in love."

Another breeze blew in the garden, making branches and plants wither. Non toxic Mushibayashi spores rained down upon the two as if snow as Nausicaä's jaw dropped in shock at these sudden revelations.

But just then, something dark, a shadow, came zooming full speed into the garden, making straight for Nausicaä. She didn't have even the time to open her mouth to scream as the thing came towards her, for Shunhi was already standing right in front of her, facing the shadow ball. The queen pushed her back, making her fall, and just as the shadow was upon them, she raised a hand holding a golden fan and made a swipe at the ball. An incredible force was emitted by it, sending the shadow howling back just as Nausicaä too was blown away.

Groaning in pain, the girl made to stood up but found that she couldn't move.

"Stay where you are." Shunhi said sharply from her shoulders, then quickly turned her attention to the shadow, which was also recovering from the impact, fan raised at shoulder height. "You fool; you came yet again."

The shadow ball changed form and became a man, tall with flowing jet black hair, red wine eyes and fully garbed in black. He began to laugh insanely.

"I see that you haven't changed in the slightest, Shunhi!" he said in a deep, rough voice, giving Shunhi a look.

The equally black-haired woman made a derisive noise, quite unlike her, and smirked. "Do not patronize me, Chōki! What do you want!"

"How very unlike you, Shunhi! But... what else?" the man named Chōki spread his arms wide and took a step closer. "A mere greeting! Don't you think it appropriate for the ruler of Chisekai to come and greet the his respective of Tensekai?"

"_Damare_!" Shunhi thundered, moving her fan threateningly. "I know perfectly well what you came for. Me! But I shall tell you this, Chōki, as I have done each time you came: you will never have neither me nor Tensekai and this Castle of Shuwa! NEVER!"

Chōki chuckled under his breath, then moved his red eyes sweepingly through the half destroyed garden until they fell upon Nausicaä, who was still lying half on her back, listening quietly. As their eyes met, a shock like a lightening bolt coursed through her. _'Wait a moment... I have seen these eyes before...!'_ she thought, eyes widening in shock.

But before she could think further, Chōki said in a voice of mingled surprise and amusement, "Oh, and who is this...? A new servant prehaps, Shunhi?" He turned his head towards the queen.

"Do not dare to-" she began to shout but within a mid second, Chōki was looming upon Nausicaä, looking at her intently.

At his sudden vicinity, the princess began to shudder as she stared into those empty red eyes, an unknown fear creeping into her. _'I know these eyes...'_ the thought ran through her rapidly and disappeared just as quickly. She still couldn't move, as if invisible bonds were strapping her firmly to the ground.

"Oh...," Chōki breathed and, bending down, reached out a hand. "But this is..."

Just as his pale hand was a hands breath away from her, Shunhi launched herself on the man with a cry, fan raised. He managed to dodge the attack at the last moment, swiftly skidding back a few yards, laughing.

"I will not let you touch her!" the queen hissed through bared teeth.

Her many robes and long, sweeping hair swished and billowed as she took another enormous leap at him and swung her fan as a blade in a series of attack, using as if it were a knife. Thrice she attacked and all three times Chōki ducked and dodged, all the while chuckling and laughing insanely.

"_Sare_!" she cried and made a final swing, aiming at his throat.

But this time, Chōki seemed to have been ready. A long katana appeared in his raised hand, blocking Shunhi's swing. There was the sound of screeching metal as the two blades met, their owners pushing and trying to overthrow the other. Then, with a leap backwards, the two parted, Shunhi panting.

"Well, well, well!" the man chuckled while he parried and blocked each of Shunhi's attacks. "Shunhi, I would have never thought you'd try to seek the soul of the Prohesized One! Have you brought her knight's soul too, by chance, _waga uruwashiki hito yo_?"

"_Damaranu noka_? How dare you speak such things with _his_ lips, how dare you talk to me about love with _his_ body! Chōki has died; you are nothing other than the hateful _Kage_ of mine! I will not allow this daughter, _our_ last hope, and her knight befall what has happened to us!" Shunhi retorted, her voice full of emotion.

The black-haired man smirked and with a final swing, sent Shunhi's golden fan flying high, then sink into the ground with a thud. "How about deal with yourself before doing something for others, eh Shunhi?"

And with these words, he pointed his sword at Shunhi's throat, the point sinking into her skin. A single line of crimson blood ran down her skin as the queen looked down, unable to speak, her shoulders trembling dangerously.

_'What on earth is going on here? Why are the two fighting like that? They look like they're enemies, but they know each other...'_ Nausicaä thought as she watched all this from where she was lying, unable to do anything other than watch. _'And what do I have to do with this..?'_. But then her heart jumped to her throat as she saw Chōki raise his sword above Shunhi, who was still just standing there. She wanted to shout, to scream to the woman to dodge, to watch out, but only a whimper escaped her lips which too were sealed. Her nut-brown eyes widened in horror, then closed tightly shut, in anticipation to what she was dreading to happen. _'Shunhi-san!'_

There came the sound of an arm raised, then the swish of a sword brought down. But there came no other sound.

Nausicaä slowly opened her eyes, her lips trembling, and gasped.

The sword which the Shadow had swung was a hands breath away from cutting Shunhi's throat, only to be stopped by two firm fingers of the woman. Chōki's eyes narrowed.

"What would...," the woman in golden robes whispered, voice trembling. "What would a mere Shadow like you know...?" She raised her head, looking straight into the shadow's eyes, full with hatred and loathing. "You, who are nothing but my Shadow, my Darkness... You, who took away everything from me... WHAT DO _YOU_ KNOW!"

And with these words, the lady in gold threw off Chōki's sword, sending it cartwheeling into a tree trunk. Chōki neither tried to retrieve it nor backed away from the queen. He was looking at her intently, waiting for what was coming next.

A silvery golden glow began to raise above Shunhi's skin and body, swarming around her like tentacles. The bound on her sleek black hair broke, letting the long strands of liquid black, which slowly turned into silver, swish and float all around her. Her beautiful almond-shaped brown eyes transformed into dangerously golden ones. She began to float, both her hands curling into fists as her mouth fell open.

Then, with a full-throated roar, she unclenched her fists and began to raise them, and with them chunks of stone and rocks raised themselves, all pointing towards Chōki.

"NO!" Two people's voices sounded, making the queen stop.

One was Nausicaä's, who had miraculously freed herself from her invisible bounds and was currently staggering up. The other, was another girl, dressed in white and red robes, hand outstretched towards Shunhi. Her chocolate-brown hair flew behind her as she rushed to the queen, her equally brown eyes gazing pleadingly up into Shunhi's glowing ones.

"Shunhi-sama, please! You musn't...! Please, calm down!" she cried, clutching tightly the lady's right arm. "Please...!"

Shunhi looked down at the girl and at her arm, then slowly dropped her gaze and finally closed her eyes, gently floating down to the ground. The girl took her in her arms, then looked at Chōki.

"_Yami wa sare_!" she cried and waved a hand at him, sending a force towards the shadow.

But he simply leaped into the air and, looming down upon them, said, "No matter. You will soon become mine, Shunhi!"

And with an evil laugh, he began to disappear into thin air, leaving an exceptionally shocked Nausicaä, a weakened Shunhi and the dark-haired girl in the destroyed garden.

After she was sure that the shadow had disappeared, the girl turned to Shunhi, who was panting heavily. Her eyes and hair had turned to their normal colour and the glow too had vanished. Nausicaä began to walk weakly towards the two.

"Shunhi-sama, are you all right!" the girl asked, not hiding her concern for the older woman. When she received a half nod, her expression slightly lifted, but still remained hard. "Shunhi-sama, you know very well that you must not use your powers against _him_..."

Still wearing a pained expression, Shunhi tried to stand up, but failed miserably, tumbling onto the floor. The girl helped her up.

"_Suman nou_..." the queen apologized weakly. "But I am fine."

The girl opened her mouth again, but before she could utter a single word, Nausicaä's shocked voice sounded from behind them.

"Las...tel...?"

They turned to find the orange haired princess standing right behind them, her eyes wide in shock and recognition.

"It's you isn't it, Lastel?" she asked again in wonder. "What are you doing here...?"

For a moment, the girl who looked unearthly like Lastel was taken aback, then shook her head.

"My name _is_ Lastel, but I don't know you..." she replied, shaking her head in a somewhat sad way.

A small smile appeared on Nausicaä's lips. Of course she didn't remember her... It had been before she had...

"_Gomenasai_..." she said, she too smiling sadly. "Asbel is still thinking of you, you know."

Lastel cocked her head on one side. "Asbel? Who is that?"

Nausicaä's brows furrowed. What?

"Asbel... Your brother... Don't you remember?" she asked, trying to keep her voice even. It couldn't be... But with the shaking of Lastel's head, her fears were confirmed. "Don't you remember anything! Asbel..., Pejite...the Tolmekians...!"

Each time Asbel's sister shook her head, her hopes sank further and further down.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not the Lastel you seem to know..." the girl said. "I have always been at Shunhi-sama's side."

"Oh..." was the only thing she manged to say, utterly speechless. "Oh, right..."

Her gaze dropped down to the ground, flabbergasted and crestfallen. She had forgotten everything... Even about her twin brother... Not knowing what to say, the princess lifted her head up to Shunhi, hoping for some interaction.

But the queen remained silent, her narrowed eyes skimming the horizon where Choki had vanished. She wore a hardened expression, a light of hatred and, yes, pain were in her eyes. Then, quite abruptly, she turned to the two.

"Lastel."she called, though her eyes softening, her voice remained hard.

"Yes?" the girl answered, coming towards the woman, the golden fan in her hand. She handed it to Shunhi, who acknowledged and thanked her with a nod, then proceeded.

"Lastel, I am all right. Go and aid the others, he is bound to attack in minutes!"

"But-" Lastel tried to contradict her, but was cut off with a swift shake of Shunhi's head.

"_Dame jya. Yuke_!" she ordered flatly, pushing Lastel lightly away.

The brown-haired girl gave Shunhi an uncertain look, then, with a nod, was sprinting down the stone stairs and into the castle, the bells at the end of her long sleeves jingling behind her. Shunhi watched her go, then turned her gaze with a sigh to the skies again.

"Um..."Nausicaä, perplexed as she was, was dying to ask what was going on, and all the whys that run and spun in her head. But one thing she knew: the situation was quite a serious one. She was taken aback and reminded of Shunhi's powers.

"About Lastel?" the lady gave the princess a side-look and at her nod, proceeded. "She had already lost her memory when she first arrived here. I have told you before that Isekai is a place where souls find what they have lost... It is one of this world's purposes. A soul of the dead has a determined time to find and take back what it was theirs; if not, they will disappear and become ghosts."

"What...!" Nausicaä asked, trying to grasp the meaning of these words. "...How much time does Lastel have...?"

The lady lowered her head, eyes closed. "Very little." Then, quite ignoring Nausicaä's small gasp, she turned away to the skies again. "Nausicaä..."

Being called, Nausicaä raised her head to look at the beautiful ruler.

"You and that Pejite boy must never repeat the same mistakes as Choki and I have." Shunhi said, her voice vibrating with sadness, pain and regret. "It must not happen again. Your Darkness, your Knight, your fated doom..."

In hearing these words, Nausicaä eyes widened in shock and her mouth fell open as she gaped at the queen.

"Who...on earth...are you...?" she asked in a whisper, thunderstruck and at a loss to what to say.

Shunhi slowly turned to face her, a face full of pain and melancholy. "It is going to be a long story. Come, let us go inside and talk."

And after having said this, the lady in gold turned her back to the garden and made her way back into the castle, the orange haired princess staggering behind her.

* * *

><p><em>He saw her laughing, twirling around and around in the wind on the golden field, full of joy and happiness; her outspread arms like wings, her beautiful orange hair flowing out of her white headpiece.<em>

_He smiled and went towards her. She too came to meet him, crying out his name in excitement, a mischievous smile playing on her soft lips, her eyes glinting. Her faithful fox-squirel poked out his head from under her shoulder-length hair and squeaked his greetings._

_But just as their hands met and intertwined, the fox-squirel ran down the princess's shoulder and went further behind them, sensing something. Nausicaä turned to him, worried and called Teto back. _

_As she turned her back on him, her hands slipping away from his, his heart made a jolt and an incredible ache struck it. No... She mustn't... She _had_ to stay with him... She was going away... Far away from him!_

_His heart racing, he called after her, but she merely smiled and reassured him that everything was all right._

_No... It wasn't all right! He sensed something was coming... He had a terrible feeling that something was going to take her away from him..._

_Just then, just as she crouched down to look curiously around where Teto was, it happened: A great black shadow leaped at her and snatched her away, its many arms wounding around her. She cried in surprise and pain and tried to fight the shadow off. But it wouldn't let go of her, instead dragging her more deeply into the sudden void of darkness that had appeared._

_Panic and fear engulfing him, he staggered towards her, yelling her name, trying to reach her... But with every step, they seemed to become further and further apart._

No...!

_She too cried out his name, hand outstretched before her, her soft brown eyes glimmering in desperation. She called him again, her voice becoming faint._

No...!

_With an enormous effort, he ripped off the golden plants that had wound themselves around him. He took a great leap and finally managed to reach her, plunging into the darkness. Their hands met again, he grasped her's, clinging onto her as dear as his life was to him. No, never again will he let go of her hand._

_He smiled at her, saying that it was all right, she was safe. She too smiled, relieved and around her the shadow seemed to weaken. Light started to filter around them and sensing the warm beams, the shadow howled in pain._

_They had to get of there. Still clutching her hand, he helped her out and slowly made their way out. But the shadow reached a hand and grabbed her ankle, making her fall. And without waiting it dragged her down with it, into the eternal darkness._

_And he, he stood there watching, fear gripping at his heart, rooted to the spot. He called after her, bellowed her name, tried to go after her, rescue her, save her...!_

_But too late, with a final cry, she was gone, engulfed by eternal darkness._

NO...! NAUSICAA!

* * *

><p>Asbel snapped his eyes open with a jolt, panting. <em>'Nausicaä...!'<em> he thought, gritting his teeth. His wrists throbbed painfully from the tight cuffs, his hair was matted with an unpleasant gore and his lips tasted of dried blood. He couldn't have been in a better state.

Looking around, the Pejite prince soon found out that he was in a dark cell. He tried the chains that strapped him to the greasy wet wall, then slumped back onto the wall, cursing himself and his recklessness.

"God, was I an idiot!" he hissed to himself. _Now_ what was he going to do?

He let himself drop down to the floor, finished and unable to think onwards. He let his gaze wander to the small window high above, the only source of light, letting a single ray of darkened light shine through. _'It's already night...'_

Groaning in pain, Asbel turned over and sunk his head down, at a loss to what to do. Then he stood up and in frustration, he kicked the wall, adding a new pain and bruise to his collection.

But just then, a small window slid open, high above him and a head poked in.

"Oi! Quiet down 'ere!" the guard shouted, then closed the window with a snap.

Asbel simply stared back at the now closed opening, new hope spreading in him. There _was_ a way to escape... He just had to reach that window just feet above him...

He looked at the chains bounding him and realized that they were long enough for him to distance himself enough to reach the window. He grinned. Maybe he wasn't yet out of luck...

Now full of new energy, decisiveness and hope, the young Pejite prince began heaving himself up onto the wall, all the painful cuts forgotten.

He was mid way through when, there came shouts and heavy noises, making him jolt. Unfortunately, this made him loose concentration and slip. He fell back with a cry and, to his sheer luck, didn't break anything when he made a horrible collide with the floor.

Cursing and massaging his back, he turned as a door, level with the pavement, slowly creaked open, making strong light flood into the dark cell. A figure appeared at the door, casting a long shadow amid the bright light. The man gave out a grunt, then folded his arms.

Asbel, whose eyes were still trying miserably to adjust at the new light, squinted up at the figure, wondering and dreading what was coming next.

Then, "For exactly how long are you intending to stare up at me, Asbel?" Lord Yupa said, pointedly and stepped into the cell.

Asbel's jaw dropped as his teacher came in, astounded and flabbergasted.

"Yupa-sama...? How...?" he managed to stammer, still astonished.

Yupa didn't answer and, taking out a short ceramic xerconium blade, easily cut Asbel's bounds. The boy stood up and, massaging now his free wrists, thanked him.

Then, remembering that he had defied his master's orders, he added, though quite hastily, "I'm sorry. You were right, I'm completely reckless."

"You'd better be, boy. You have no idea how much trouble I went through in smuggling into this damned ship!" The swordsman thundered at Asbel, but nevertheless not hiding his relief, a half smile hidden under his bushy moustache and glad in seeing his pupil safe and sound for the most part.

Just then, an alarm went off, wheezing and whistling and obviously announcing intruders in the ship. Both prince and swordsman whipped their heads above them, Lord Yupa silently hissing a curse.

"Best to be off!" he said and with a swish of his brown cloak, turned towards the door.

But Asbel hesitated. "But what about Nausicaä! We can't just leave her!"

His master turned sharply towards him, grabbed his arm and began to drag him out, scowling. "Asbel, we wouldn't stand a chance if we were to confront Nadasaru now! Better alive and out of the enemy's lair than cornered and at the brink of death! It wouldn't certainly help Nausicaä if we were to stay now! Now, come on!"

And with these words, Lord Yupa and Asbel began to make their escape out of the Kumian ship as stealthily and quietly as possible.

* * *

><p>For the third time in minutes, there came a thundering sound, making the entire castle shudder: The Castle of Shuwa was under attack.<p>

As the trembling stopped, Nausicaä looked up from where she was sitting to Shunhi, who was currently sitting opposite her on her mat, a worried look about her. But she didn't even have to open her mouth.

"No, they are all right." Shunhi answered her unasked question, shaking her head. "Chōki has been attacking this castle from the very beginning of this world, but has never succeeded once in destroying the Castle of Shuwa or winning over me."

Nausicaä's brow furrowed. "Beginning?"

Shuhi nodded, then let her gaze glide gracefully upwards and out of the window. "That is right... Hadn't Chōki and I made that terrible mistake, Isekai probably wouldn't have even existed." She looked again at Nausicaä, deep into her hazel nut eyes. "Nausicaä, listen carefully to what I am about to tell you. It is..." She seemed to search for a word, but thought better of it and sighed, shaking her head again.

Then, taking a deep breath, she started.

"You see, before the Seven Days of Fire, there was an era of peace, named Goheian era, during which cultures, technology and science prospered. The great city of ShinLaputa was it's center and heart of it and ruling it, were to clans, the Hyou and the Ai clan. At that time, no one suspected which fate of their beloved world was waiting for them twenty years later... There was a girl, the youngest of the Hyou clan's daughters, who loved more than anything life and nature. She was compassionate, life-loving and curious beyond imagination to all wonders nature held in its secrecy. From a young girl, she grew to a beautiful young woman, who, despite her age, still persued her love for nature as she had in her early days. Twenty years passed and went by and still this princess refused any suitors. At her coming of age ceremony, she was told by the wise priests about an ancient legend, in which a person clad in blue and surrounded by golden fields would renew the bonds with the Earth and led her people in the promised Lands together with her knight, after having tamed her own Darkness. The priests also revealed to the young woman, that she, as young girl, was once blessed by a dying God Spirit: Her clothes had been dyed deepest blue by the God Spirit's blood and from its body, flowing golden light had bathed the young girl, blessing and marking her as the Blue Savior."

Nausicaä gasped, her eyes widening, her heart racing. She knew only too well of this story. But she didn't dare interrupt Shunhi.

"The spring of that very year, the princess met a young man under the sakura trees, a man in which she fell in love immediately. This young man was the only son of the Ai clan. Months passed and with each waxing and waning of the moon, the woman's feelings grew ever stronger for the son of the Ai clan. But blinded by love, she did not see what was happening to her precious and beloved city: poverty, starvation and a plague had been tormenting the citizens for months and who which began to blame the two ruling clans. The two clans, desperate for a remedy and escape from the citizens' wrath, began to blame and accuse each other and within a short space of time, the Ai and Hyou clan were at war. As war was declared openly, the heart princess's heart broke as she had to fight her most loved one, bringing Darkness and Shadows to fill her heart: Selfishness and Blindness. Having fought and failed to overcome her dark desire, she finally gave in and broke. On that fateful day, the princess escaped, leaving her clan and city to their doom to seek her lover. But as she entered the Ai clan's fortress, an arrow had been released upon her, but instead of thudding into her own heart, it went into the one of the son of the Ai, who had knowingly protected and saved her. The princess, seeing her lover dead, could bear no more. She let herself be completely engulfed by the Darkness in her, releasing all the hatred and death into the world."

Nausicaä began shaking her head, her shoulders were beginning to quiver. _'No...'_ She knew this story...

"It happened in seven days. Warrior Gods built by the Ai were unleashed upon the world and those seven days of raging fire and destruction changed the world so that it would never be the same ever again. And during those seven days of fire, the princess lay clutching her lover's body to her chest, crying all her sorrow out, completely oblivious to the atrocities she that had brought upon the world and surrounded her."

The orange haired princess was shaking her head even more vigorously, her face full of horror.

"Then, when the destructive fire had stopped and the Warrior Gods had finally laid down their terrible weapons and were starting to die out, the princess opened her eyes. She found out and realized that all these terrible things had happened because _she_ had let her Darkness, the Darkness of the entire world, out and unleash its terrible powers upon the world, thus bringing its doom."

She was beginning to breathe hard, her heart beating faster and faster as Shunhi told the tale of...

"As realization dawned upon her, the princess could not forgive herself. And with the blade of her loved one, she drove it into her heart, in the hope of ending her terrible life."

She clutched her racing chest, dreading what was coming next.

"But the gods did not forgive her and punished her in the most cruel and pitiless way: The next moment, the princess found herself surrounded by mist and screamed as the gods cursed her with a power, doomed to kill her loved one or battle against him in eternity, until either of them killed one of them."

Nausicaä shook her head, trying to convince herself that it wasn't possible... That it couldn't be...

"The princess became then queen, but not of her beloved city. No, queen of a new world, a world in which the souls of the dead roamed freely. Soon, she discovered that what the gods had said was true and what they had done with him..." Shunhi's voice was becoming more and more vibrant and quivering; her eyes glimmered even more as they changed to deep gold, her hair again dying silver. "Her Darkness, the Darkness that she had failed to tame and overcome, had taken possession of his body, making him a twisted person, a man he had never been...And with a desire in his now shadow filled heart... The queen's lover, ruler of Chisekai, the Earthern Isekai, was named Chōki, ancestor to the now ruling Kumian dynasty. And the queen, ruler of Tensekai, the Heavenly Isekai, was named..."

"NO!" Nausicaä cried.

"...Shunhi..."The lady with the golden gaze and bright silver hair whispered in one breath, and looked straight into her eyes, eyes filled with sorrow and pain.

"No...! NO!" Nausicaä shouted, shaking her head furiously, standing up and glaring down onto Shunhi. "You're lying! You can't be... You just can't!"

She slumped back onto the floor; abashed, shocked, astounded and aghast to Shunhi's revelation of her past. She couldn't believe it... Shunhi, the past Blue Savior... No, it couldn't be! And yet, even as she tried to convince herself that it wasn't true with all her might, a small unbiest part of her knew and acknowledged this as the whole truth. _'No...! Uso dawa!'_

"_Kore ga shinjitsu jya_, Nausicaä." Shunhi said, her voice indistinguishable from hard and soft. "I am your past self, as a Savior."

She stood up and made to touch Nausicaä gently on the shoulder, but she backed away, not looking at her. Shunhi too looked down, somehow ashamed.

"I cannot expect you to forgive. I myself still have not forgiven myself for the crimes that I have committed... It is what I deserve." she said bitterly.

Nausicaä gasped at these words. No, Shunhi hadn't the right to say that! It wasn't her fault...

Her lips were trembling just as bad as her shoulders were; her entire body was. She had suffered so much alone all this time, having no one to which she could speak freely because... Because she was different... And yet, standing now before her, was a person who had felt and experienced the same as she had and much more.

Nausicaä looked up at Shunhi, who was looking down, avoiding Nausicaä's gaze. This person _knew_, she had _felt_, had to _endure_ all the pain, suffering and fear of her Darkness just like Nausicaä had done. She had finally found someone, who understood all her pain.

Suddenly, a strong wave of complicated feelings overwhelmed her and she broke into tears, flinging herself into the arms of Shunhi. The lady looked down upon her with a surprised expression, then wound her arms around the crying girl.

"You poor thing..., at a such young age..." she said softly, caressing her orange head. "I know what you have been through... I know..."

"Shunhi-san... why do _we_ have to suffer like this...! Why us! JUST WHY...!" Nausicaä cried as she sunk her face into Shunhi's lap, her hands gripping her golden robes.

All the feelings and thoughts that she had pushed back and closed into the very depths of her heart seemed to have broken free and were flowing out of her freely. A single tear slid down Shunhi's smooth cheek as she wound her arms more tightly around Nausicaä's shoulders.

"Oh Nausicaä...! Forgive me!" she whispered, her voice vibrating too with overflowing emotion. "Had I not been a fool, had I tamed my Darkness, I could have saved you all this pain and suffering... _Yuruse_!"

"But, even so...," she sniffed and, separating herself from Nausicaä, she moved her liquid brown eyes to meet with the princess's hazel nut ones. "Nausicaä, you and Asbel must not repeat the mistakes which we two have made! You, together, must walk and create a new path; a path where nobody will have to suffer anymore... Have you understood me?"

A slim hand placed itself onto Nausicaä's cheek as the lady said so and wiped off her tears, but the princess's eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait a moment," she said, frowning deeply. "You're constantly saying about me and Asbel, as if he was my knight, but... But he isn't! He has nothing to do with this!"

Shunhi sighed deeply and said, "Oh Nausicaä... Is it not clear that he _is_ your knight; that you love him?"

Nausicaä stood up abruptly, looking down onto Shunhi with an astounded expression, shaking her head. Her heart began to thump irregularly and, though she didn't notice from the shock of having been said that so straight forward, blood rose into her face. Nevertheless, she continued to shake her head.

"N...no...!" she stammered. "Yo...you're wrong...! Asbel... he's... just a... friend!"

Her words left her mouth as if in defence, trying to protect whom or what, Nausicaä didn't know nor cared. But as she said so, her heart made a pang, releasing an incredible pain, as if her words had just struck it like an arrow...

_'That's right...'_ her inner voice sounded in her, regardless of her heart's jolt, soothing the shocked part of her. _'He's just a friend...'_

"_Hou_? Just a friend, is he?"Shunhi's sharp voice sounded from behind her, making her jump.

Shunhi was standing right behind her, eyebrows raised in a high arches; she reached a hand and touched her on the shoulder as she came nearer and forced her to gaze into the now golden eyes. "Is that really true, Nausicaä?"

The queen's hand moved to her warm cheeks and brushed against her parted lips. "Really? For I can hear, can feel your lips longing to touch his..."

Nausicaä's eyes widened and she took as sharp intake of breath, her pulse racing. Her shoulders began to quiver as she realized she was afraid of this woman. Afraid because of her powers, of what she can perceive and of what she could do.

"I can hear your heart begging and longing to be at his side, to be in his arms..." Shunhi whispered into her ear.

She couldn't bear it any longer. "Stop it!"

She pushed herself away from Shunhi, clapping her hands over her ears, sinking to the ground.

"_Yamete_..., yamete, yamete!" she screamed, shaking her head furiously. "Stop reading my heart... Just stop!"

She simply crouched there, her entire body shaking, her hands still over her ears. She couldn't bear to hear Shunhi's words, she just couldn't. And oh, how her heart was hurting, aching...!

Shunhi took a step towards her, then stopped. "Do you really not love Asbel of Pejite, Nausicaä?"

Still eyes closed, Nausicaä shook her head, panting.

"Please...," she rasped weakly, clutching her chest. "Don't ask...!"

"Why?" was the harsh, yet simple question.

Tears began to well up into her eyes. How it hurt...! It hurt so much that she wanted to rip her heart out... She shook her head, hot, warm tears rolling down her face.

"I DON'T KNOW!" she screamed, sinking her head into her hands. "I don't even know it myself, so just stop asking!"

Shunhi said nothing. The beautiful lady with now silver hair and golden eyes stood simply there, watching the princess with orange hair falling in despair and confusion, her face an impassable mask.

* * *

><p><strong>Have I been forgiven? I hope I have... I do really hope that chp. 12 will be a bit more easier to write... Anyway, things are going to get much more interesting and (I think) probably with a bit of action (can't promise too much of that, though) In the meantime, pop in a review, that's a good reader! <strong>


	12. Chapter 12: Tokihanatareta Yami

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: OK, chap. 12 FINALLY finished! Yes! Took me so long (again); I think what made it difficult to write was because of the many changing of scenes... But who cares! I know you're itching to read on, so I'll leave you in peace. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: *saying this in an extreme bored and monotone voice* No, no and no. Don't own any nausicaan characters and they all belong to Miya-san. *turns to the lawyers* Happy now?**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Sayou: That is right  
><strong>**Yuke, tori no hito yo, kaze to tomoni yuke: Go, Bird Person, go along with the wind (ok, "bird person" is another way of referring to the Blue Savior, both in the film and manga. You can see that mainly on the tapestry in the opening, where you see a girl with white wings (supposedly Nausicaä and her white wings, which is her Mehve)  
><strong>**Sate: Now then  
><strong>**Watashi no hikari yo: My Light/Oh Light of mine  
><strong>**Kuso!: Damm it!  
><strong>**Eien no tatakai ga owatta: The eternal battle has finished  
><strong>**Waga na wa Rucha: Our(my) name is Rucha  
><strong>**Ankoku no sekai, ima, hajimareyo!: Shadowed world, begin now!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 12: Tokihanatareta Yami~Ankoku no Sekai - Darkness Unleashed~A Shadowed World<p>

"I don't know... I don't understand...!" Nausicaä whispered, clutching her head.

Shunhi, the beautiful ruler of Isekai, watched her silently from above, looking with expressionless golden eyes down at the crouching princess.

Nausicaä shook her head for the tenth time. Her heart was bursting, thousand voices screamed inside her head. But why? Why were these sufferings all happening to her now? Why now? Why did she feel so desperate? And above all, why did thinking of Asbel pain her so much?

But it was too much for her. She didn't know. She didn't know nor understood anything of what all these sufferings meant. She couldn't make head or tail of this.

_'Why...? Just why!'_ her still most reasonable part of her screamed inside her and she gritted her teeth as her head made another pang.

"I have told you why, but you will not listen to me..." Shunhi spoke, her voice soft and kind again. "You love him."

Nausicaä twisted in pain, tears streaking down her face, head shaking furiously. "NO! I don't love him! I don't... I _CAN'T_!"

She stopped, panting, realizing what she had just screamed. _'Why...?'_

It could've been Shunhi's words, or could've been her own. She didn't know. But she didn't care. All she cared was why she had said that...

But even as her mind searched a reason, her mouth had already opened and words rolled out of her mouth, as if not she, Nausicaä, but someone else deep inside her was answering through _her_ mouth.

"Because...," she said, uncertainly. Her hands curled into fists; she sat up, though still looking down. "Because I don't want to drag him into my destiny, my fate..." She took another shaky breath, then carried on. "To tell the truth... I love him..."

Shunhi's eyes widened, but still she remained silent.

"I love Asbel!" Nausicaä cried, fresh tears rolling down and dropping onto the floor. "I love him so much... Too much! I can't bear to see him hurt... to watch him sacrifice himself for me...!"

The lady with silver hair frowned deeply as she heard Nausicaä's last words. "Coming nearer," she demanded softly, "What do you mean by 'sacrifice'?"

The princess looked up and met Shunhi's eyes with fiercely desperate nut-brown ones. "I saw him... I saw him die trying to save me from my Darkness in my dream..." She looked away. "I know it's going happen. That's why... if I have to see him die for me... That's why I can't love him..., because if I do, I would be acknowledging him as my knight and forcing the knight's destiny onto him...!"

She bit her lip and clutched her chest tightly. "But... I never knew love could hurt so much! Even if I try to stop myself... I just can't...! I just can't stop loving Asbel!" She gazed up again to Shunhi, her eyes glimmering with tears, desperate hope shining in them. "Shunhi-san, I love Asbel! I love him!"

Shunhi glanced down the princess for a while longer, then, "I think it is enough."

Her eye colour rapidly changed to liquid brown and her hair too to jade black. She could no longer bear to see this young girl suffer anymore. She stooped down and crouched beside Nausicaä, taking her into her arms like a mother.

At her touch, Nausicaä's pain instantly evaporated, the screaming voices in her head immediately ceased and her racing pulse began to slow down to a normal pace. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, but the princess didn't say anything further. She waited.

"Forgive me." Shunhi said miserably and looked into Nausicaä's bewildered eyes. "It was I that forced that pain to burst into you, but... I did it so that you could finally find what truly has been troubling you in your very depths."

Nausicaä's eyes widened as she gasped lightly. Shunhi nodded.

"_Sayou_. In your heart, there had been a stone blocking your flow, and that stone was love. Nausicaä," Shunhi said kindly, a small smile appearing on her lips. "If you do love that Pejite boy, then do so. Do not let your destiny and that prophecy tear the two of you apart!" She reached a hand on her cheek and stroked it tenderly. "Now go, my dear, they are waiting for you!"

Nausicaä opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She wanted say too much to this lady who had helped her so much in such a short space of time, but she didn't know _what_ to say. She raised her own hand and placed upon Shunhi's, still on her cheek.

"Ari..gatou..."this single word she uttered and along with it, a single tear fell.

Smiling, Shunhi made a nod. "Go, Nausicaä. And remember," She looked up at Nausicaä, who had stood up. "You are the light of hope not only in your world, but also of of Isekai. _Yuke, tori no hito yo, kaze to tomoni yuke_...!"

It was a command. Nausicaä nodded, smiling. But before she went, she said lastly, "Please, make up with Choki-san!"

Then she turned and was again engulfed by white mist, though this time, she knew where she was going: Home.

* * *

><p>Shunhi watched as Nausicaä vanished into the Crossroad.<p>

She smiled ironically to herself. "That girl, she had even thought about us..."

The lady in gold closed her eyes for a moment, then, standing up, opened them again. They were deep gold again, her hair smoothly changing to silver.

"_Sate_... To the two of us...!" she muttered, turning.

A katana appeared in her hands as she gazed up at a figure in black hovering feet above, her hair as silver as her own, her eyes blood-red.

"Onizakura...!"It was the name she uttered before flinging herself upwards, sword raised.

And with a clear, ringing tone, the blades of the two women met, signaling the beginning of a battle between Light and Darkness.

* * *

><p>There came a knock and Sedona's voice sounded from behind the door.<p>

"Aniue-sama, I have come to report."

Not removing his gaze from out of the laboratory window, Nadasaru called her in.

"Well?" he asked, finally looking down from where he was sitting to look at his sister, who was now crouching behind his seat, head bowed. "Did you recapture the prisoner?"

She inclined her head, hesitating slightly, then said, "Unfortunately, no, Aniue-sama. The Pejite prince escaped with the help of Lord Yupa."

"So you let him escape."Nadasaru's voice sounded neither hard nor soft; it was a simple statement.

In hearing this, Sedona could help to say, "No, Aniue-sama...!"Then, recomposing herself, she uttered. "Yes, it was my fault, Nadasaru-aniue. Please, forgive me."

"Don't let me down the next time, Sedona." her brother said and turned his back to her.

Following his gaze, Sedona watched from the observatory window as the Valley princess floated gently in the Ohmu blood filled tank, a golden substance surrounding her entire body. Her hair had already started to changed into a midnight black colour, a pair of black wings had already sprouted from her back and were folded close to her body, as if to enclose her in eternal darkness. All these meant that her Darkness was successfully emerging.

"Aniue-sama, that is...?" she asked, noticing the golden slime.

"Ohmu saliva. It works as efficiently as a breathing mask."

Just then, an alarm sounded in the laboratory balcony just outside the observatory. Men operating the laboratory systems began to fuss and hurry this way and that, all anxiously checking various machines. A man in white coat came in and cautiously neared to Nadasaru.

"Well? What is it?" Nadasaru asked smoothly, intimidating even more the other one.

Slightly sweating, the professor swallowed hard, then said, "Her conciousness is beginning to reawaken again, sir..."

Nadasaru's eyes became eyes silts as he frowned. "How come?"

"We have actually no idea why... She was supposed to have been in a deep slumber..." The professor replied, dreading what was coming next.

But the Kumian prince said nor did anything other than turning back to look at Nausicaä's suspended body.

"How long will it take for Nausicaä's conciousness to completely awaken?" he asked.

"Half a day at the most." was the professor's forced reply. It was clear where the power lay.

"And how long would the cloning take?"

The man hesitated, then again, "Probably the same time or less."

Nadasaru said nothing, but it was clear that he was deep in thought, a hand stroking his chin.

"A...Aniue-sama, are you going to...?" Sedona interjected cautiously, dreading the answer.

Her brother opened and closed his eyes for one last time, then turned back to the two.

"It can't be helped. Change to plan _b_. Proceed with the cloning." he ordered.

His cold emerald-green eyes met the frightened coal blacks ones of the professor and the man nodded, all the while sweating. As he turned to go, Sedona could clearly see the poor man's shudders even from where she was standing.

When the professor had vanished through the connecting door and had begun ordering about, the Kumian princess glanced back at her brother's tall back, a worried expression about her.

She hesitated, then, "Aniue-sama, are we really doing the right thing...? I mean, to do something such as cloning... Is this all really necessary?"

As these words escaped her lips, she immediately regretted this.

Nadasaru turned sharply to her. "Are you questioning my judgement, Sedona?"

His voice was cool and smooth, but dangerously so. Sedona immediately dropped her own jade green gaze, not daring to meet his.

As much as she loved him, even if an unrequited one, she still felt that what they were doing was wrong. But from the day when the insects had attacked and wiped out the entire Kumia clan, she had decided to follow her brother to the end of the world, even if the path he would walk would be on of blood and death.

"Well?"Nadasaru was still waiting her reply.

Sedona inclined her head, hiding her expression from view.

"No, Nadasaru-aniue. As you wish..." she uttered.

Her brother nodded, then turned his back to her. She too watched silently as in the tank next to Nausicaä's, already full of Ohmu blood, a figure was gently floating down and came at a stop, level to the Valley princess's body, wearing her light blue dress.

Then with a swish of his black cloak, the Kumian prince turned away and proceeded out into the laboratory, joining the other scientists. He gave her a half nod to follow him.

Sedona gave a last glance out of the window, her eyes full of emotion, then followed her brother out.

_'Nausicaä-san, please forgive us...'_

* * *

><p>Asbel entered the room in which Lord Yupa had sent him, saying that there were a few people waiting for him. The young Pejite had thought that the mayor or someone else from his people were expecting him, but as soon as he stepped into the room and raised his head, he stopped dead on the spot and gaped, his jaw literally dropping infront of the unexpected visitor. But his astonishment quickly changed into anger.<p>

"What are _you_ doing here!" he exclaimed, hand flying to his sword at his hip, looking daggers at a red-head sitting the middle of the room, voice vibrating with fury, shock and indignation.

Kushana, princess and commander of the Tolmekian force, looked up from the map she had been examining and raised an eyebrow. She was garbed in her usual metallic attire: golden armour and white dress, flame red hair which was no near to Nausicaä's soft orange neatly tucked high up in a bun, her headpiece jingling on her forehead.

"Well well, greetings to you too, Prince Asbel of Pejite. We meet again!" she said with a slight smirk. Her attitude had also not changed since their last meeting. She stood up and began to make towards him.

But as soon as she took one step forward, Asbel had already took out his sword and was pointing it at Kushana. He hated this woman, the woman who had nearly killed all his people and who had destroyed Pejite. And he wasn't going to forgive.

"You haven't answered my question: What are you doing here?" he repeated, putting effort in keeping his voice and temper as even as possible.

Seeing Asbel pointing his blade at their princess, Tolmekian guards immediately positioned themselves between him and Kushana, swords raised, ready to strike. But Kushana made them back away with a single glance. She turned to Asbel.

"When we last met, I told you that we shall never meet again, but it seems that fate has decided to go against _our_ wish..." she said, a small smile playing on her lips. "Seems as though Nausicaä has gotten in a bit of trouble, hasn't she?"

Asbel's brows furrowed. "How do you know...?"

The Tolmekian princess's smirk became more pronounced. "Lord Yupa sent a message of help."

"You're lying!" Asbel shouted and with a cry, flung himself onto Kushana, sword raised... Only to be stopped by Lord Yupa, who had in that precise moment, entered the room.

"Asbel, control yourself!" Yupa thundered at the Pejite prince, holding him back with one strong arm while the other was holding a Tolmekian blade off. "Kushana has come here upon my request...! I have asked the Tolmekian force for help! So please, Asbel...restrain yourself...!"

As Yupa's words sunk into him, Asbel gradually lessened his strength, then dropped his arm, not knowing what say or do. As he did so, his master released him as well as sheathed his own blade. The guard too returned to his original position.

"Thank you." Lord Yupa said to Asbel quietly, then turned to Kushana."Kushana-dono..." He inclined his head to apologize.

The princess waved a hand. "Not to worry. Quite understandable; I _have_ after all destroyed his homeland."

Asbel caught these words, but restrained himself from blurting anything out. Kushana noticed this.

"I see you have learned to control at least your tongue, Asbel of Pejite." she said, giving him a half bemused look.

With all his might, Asbel managed to keep his temper and ignore her. He instead looked at Lord Yupa.

"Yupa-sama," he asked in a low, hollow tone. "Why have you called these... _these here_ for help? We could manage to take the ship on our own."

Yupa opened his mouth to reply, but surprisingly, the Tolmekian princess answered his question.

"Oh, is that's so, Asbel?" she asked, eyebrows raised. "Are you telling me that a mere force of a hundred Valley and Pejite men would suffice to undertake the Kumian force?"

Asbel bit his lip. Kushana went on.

"I tell you what boy: You wouldn't stand even a chance against them! Kumia is as Tolmekia a giant military force. Mere men with little or none military experience would be wiped out instantly."she said in a harsh tone.

Asbel couldn't take it any longer.

"You've nothing to do with this, so you might as well go back to your destructive land and leave us in peace! Haven't you done enough damage already!" he snapped bitterly, then fell silent again.

Yupa made interrupt, but Kushana stopped him with the icy blue gaze of her's.

"We have our own reasons to attack the Kumians. They have been provoking us for years. And they are a formidable enemy in battle: they use Heedras, green monsters which you can't kill if not destroy their brain, as soldiers, which were originally stolen from the great empire of the Dorok. They are not an opponent to take easily. Even so, you refuse our help?" she asked, watching the young prince intently.

"Just get out of here!" came his reply.

The Tolmekian princess remained silent for a while, then snorted. "Stop acting the fool, Asbel!" She came forwards and stopped just before Asbel, who backed several steps away. "Do you really think, you alone can save that girl from Nadasaru's grasp? If you do, then please, go ahead! But don't come back begging me for help, after you finally grasped that you can't rescue her out of that ship!"

She saw her words strike the boy hard. But her face remained impassable.

Meanwhile, there was a turmoil of battling thoughts and feelings in Asbel's head. He was standing between two paths: a path on which he would have to co-operate and be helped by the woman he most hated in the world, but where the person he loved greatly would be saved and a path on which he would save Nausicaä alone, but the prospect of leaving the ship alive was less than zero.

He gritted his teeth, his fists clenched. There was no time to waste; this wasn't the time to confront he's sworn enemy, Nausicaä's life was at stake. And Asbel couldn't afford to lose Nausicaä.

"Do what you want, as long as Nausicaä going to be safe..." he said through clenched jaw.

He didn't even notice Kushana's nod. He turned on his heels and stormed out of the room, banging the door shut behind him.

* * *

><p>She was finding it hard to breath. Her pulse was racing, blood running in her veins. Her entire body was burning as if all the fire and heat in the world was burning inside her. And she was seeing things. Thoughts and memories that didn't belong to her.<p>

_A half destroyed city. Men and insects lying dead everywhere. And two small children, a boy and a girl , were cowering over a dead body of their mother, crying. Then, a Mushiyabu came clambering towards them, teeth clattering in anger and displeasure. It was about to attack. The boy, with jet black hair and emerald-green eyes, stood up and, taking a sword in his hands, faced the giant insect. _

The flash ended. Nausicaä was left much perplexed. _'Who were they...? Whose memories..?'_

Another memory started to play in her mind.

_The boy was shouting at a man, pointing an accusatory finger towards him. The man, in annoyance, made a swipe with his hand and slapped the boy hard in the face. The raven haired boy fell to the floor, at once the girl with equally black hair came running towards him, supposedly his sister._

Now Nausicaä was beginning to understand. And the more she thought of it, the more she tried to convince herself that it wasn't impossible...

_Brother and sister were separated as two different people began leading each sibling in the opposite direction, regardless of the two children's wishes. The girl shouted her brother's name, tears falling like raindrops from her big, shining jade green eyes._

No, it couldn't be... And yet... _'Sedona...?...Nadasaru...?'_ she thought uncertainly.

_Now Sedona was much more older, near to her age of now, and she was crouching before a throne. Upon the throne sat her brother, Nadasaru. The Kumian princess raised her head, hopes soaring high, but which quickly sank as she saw just how much her beloved brother had changed in all those years they had been separated. And her heart began to ache as she realized her love for him..._

Her heart to ached and hurt, just as had done back in Isekai. _'Oh Sedona, I understand you...'_ Deep inside her, she had known somehow that Sedona was not evil and ruthless as her brother deep down. The princess began to feel a profound compassion and pity for the Kumian princess. How much she too had had to suffer...

The flashes changed and Nausicaä immediately recognized these ones: They were her memories, and not from far long.

_Her father lay dead on the rug, tolukemkian soldiers towering over him, weapons still pointing on him..._

Instantly, the hot and searing heat inside her began to surge upwards, trying to get out. A blinding rage was trying to get hold of her, to bend her to its command...

_'No!'_ she screamed inside herself. She struggled and managed to shake off the Rage and Hate for killing and injustice. But it did not falter. Instead, it became more insistent, more aggressive.

_The baby Ohmu stood motionless in the sand, its lifeless gray eyes staring aimlessly at what seemed it's death, craving for an explanation of why it had to die in such a way..._

This time, it came overwhelmingly _upon_ her, from above, engulfing her in eternal darkness, despair and agony. All she could do was scream in despair. But her Darkness had not finished with her yet and was not going to let Nausicaä sink alone in grief.

_The mountain of carcasses of the dismantled insects and Ohmus lay before her, the remaining Ohmus touching their dead with their golden tentacles. A mother Ohmu stood craving over the body of her hatchling..._

Then, she saw herself, again, with jet, death black hair, blood-red eyes and completely covered in crimson blood, leaning over a body. The Darkness looked up and met Nausicaä's eyes, which widened in horror; she smiled a savage, a purley evil smile. Then, the Darkness leaned over the body in her arms and sank her teeth, no fangs, into what Nausicaä now horridly realized was Asbel's body.

It was too much for her. She took a few steps back, then a full-throated scream came out of her mouth, a scream full of horror, despair, shock and fear.

The Darkness stood up and, smiling as Asbel's blood gently dripped from her chin, began to make for a her. With a leap, she was at her side. Nausicaä smelt her scent of raw blood, her rattling breath sending shivers down her spine. Her vicinity made her freeze and root to the spot. All she could do was cover her eyes and face from her Darkness, her real and true self.

_"That's right, Nausicaä..."_ the Darkness breathed into her ear as she put a firm hand around her quivering shoulders, claws sinking into her flesh. _"That's right... Despair... Despair and grief as you much as you want... _Fall_ into eternal Darkness, watashi no hikari yo..."_ She placed a hand upon her cheek and began to stroke it tenderly. _"Let me soothe your pain, let _me_ control your body... So that you can fall into the eternal Darkness you so long for...!"_

The Darkness snaked her head and face closer to her own, so near, that Nausicaä could feel her Darkness's breath on her cheek and neck.

_"Let me... Let me _become_ you, Nausicaä...!"_ she whispered. She moved slowly behind her, her hands still firmly gripping her shoulders.

Nausicaä couldn't do anything. She couldn't move, think. All she did was hear and feel her Darkness's soothing and inviting words. She felt exhausted as she had never been. All the things she had had to burden until now were too much for her, she wanted to shake them down from her shoulders and finally rest in peace for a while. _'Yes... Maybe...'_

Nausicaä stared aimlessly into the dark that surrounded them. Her head was beginning to nod, her eyelids dropped. She was beginning to feel drowsy and barely heard the sharp intake of breath as the Darkness behind her opened her mouth, unsheathing her fangs and began to near them at Nausicaä's neck.

_"Yes... you've been waiting, you been longing for this moment of peace and quietness, haven't you...? I know... I was in you after all. And now, just let go! Let everything go!"_ the Darkness kept repeating in a soothing voice.

And all Nausicaä could do was to obey.

There came a pause, then, without warning, the Darkness sunk her fangs into her neck. The princess didn't even feel pain as first beads, then crimson blood began to flow out and fall down her shoulder as well as the Darkness's chin as she drank Nausicaä's blood, sucking Nausicaä's life out.

As the girl silently heard her Darkness's long gulps, she stared aimlessly before her. A single thought run through her. _'I've failed...'_

Yes, she had failed to tame her Darkness, thus failed to fulfill her destiny and duty as a Savior. The world was now doomed.

Her expression changed into one of pain. _'I'm sorry, Shunhi-san... I failed you and everybody else in the end... Please, forgive me...'_

She moved her gaze upwards and recalled Shunhi's face when they had parted. What would she say if she saw Nausicaä in such a state, being eaten by her own Darkness...?

But then, words which the lady in gold had spoken came to her. "_You are the light of hope to everyone..._" and...

_'Asbel...'_ her mind uttered his name, ringing endlessly in her thoughts.

_"No..."_ the words escaped her lips.

Her Darkness paused.

_"No... NO!"_ Nausicaä screamed.

No, she couldn't give up! Not yet... not yet, because... _'I have to tell him... I have to tell him of these feelings...! I _have_ to!'_

New hope had now began to grow in her and took the form of bright, golden light. A light of hope. The light started to flow out of her body. But before making contact with this light, the Darkness sprang back, snarling viciously, trying to protect herself from the blinding light with her black wings.

And then she heard him. A cry, a bellow, calling her back...

And with all her might and strength she still had in her, Nausicaä let the golden light spread and flow out of her and released a full-throated scream. But not a scream of despair. No, a cry of desperate hope; a war cry...

* * *

><p>"Nausicaä!" Asbel bellowed as he ran through the empty corridors, frantically searching for the orange-haired princess. "Nausicaä, where are you!"<p>

Minutes or even hours could have passed since the newly formed Valley-Pejite-Tolumekian alliance had started to attack the Kumian ship and had just managed to penetrate into its interiors. But as soon as they had broken in, the infamous Heedra soldiers had been waiting for them.

_"Asbel, you go ahead and find Nausicaä! We'll get rid of these and come afterwards! Now, go!" _Lord Yupa's words still rang in Asbel's ears as he rushed through the seemingly deserted ship.

He gritted his teeth as he stood before the tenth deserted room and in frustration, punched the wall.

"_Kuso_! Where are they! Where the damn did they hide Nausicaä...!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

Then, the came a jolt from the pavement, making Asbel stagger to the ground.

"What the...!"he swore in mingled fury and disbelief.

But he didn't have any time to use more colourful words, because the pavement beneath him suddenly opened in a circle and, inevitably, Asbel couldn't escape the fate of falling into the newly formed hole.

He gave out a cry as he toppled down through a narrow hole and landed, not surprisingly, into a well-lit room and onto the hard floor, again escaping any broken limbs.

Hissing, groaning and massaging his back, Asbel painfully sat up and finally realized where he had actually landed: a laboratory.

And standing just before him, with his back turned, was Nadasaru. As Asbel stood up, mouthing a "YOU!", Nadasaru turned to face him, smiling.

"Well well, look what we have here, our royal Pejite prince, prince Asbel, is it not?" he asked mockingly.

But before Asbel could throw himself on the Kumian prince, he had already taken out his blade and pointed it swiftly at Asbel's throat.

"Ah, no, Asbel. Best for you not to cause havoc. Not in this moment, at any rate." the prince said smoothly.

Regardless of the blade at his throat, Asbel didn't quieten down. "Where's Nausicaä? What've done with her?"

Surprisingly, Nadasaru moved his eyes from him to his right and nodded. Asbel followed his gaze and gasped, his heart jumping to his throat.

There was Nausicaä, floating unconsciously in what he soon recognized was an Ohmu blood filled tank. Her entire body and clothing was covered by a golden slime, her beautiful orange had changed into deep glistening black and from her back, a pair of equally black wings sprouted and encased her. Her usually angelic and peaceful face was now contorted into an expression of pain and deep despair.

His knee buckled under him and he collapsed to the floor as Asbel watched horrified what exactly the Kumians had been doing with Nausicaä.

"No..." he whispered, shaking his head. "NO, Nausicaä!"

And just as he roared her name, it happened: Bright, golden light came flooding out of Nausicaä's body as she released a full-throated scream.

* * *

><p>In the exact moment when the golden light had shone from Nausicaä's body, blinding blue light erupted from Onizakura as Shunhi run her blade right through her in mid-air.<p>

The Shadow painfully looked for the last time her Light in the eyes, sorrow and relief spreading in her blood-red gaze.

"Finally, I can rest in peace, Shunhi..." she whispered in the lady's ear, then finally closed her eyes.

Shunhi took her now bloodied blade out of the body and watched silently as her Darkness left Chōki's body and her spirit, lifting itself high up into the air, disappeared in blue light. Chōki's appearances returned to how they originally had been.

The lady with silver hair then crouched and took the lifeless body of her loved one in her arms, and gazing up in the skies, she whispered,

"_Eien no tatakai ga owatta_..."

And a single, silver tear slid down her smooth face and fell on her Knight's forever closed eyes.

* * *

><p>The glass tank shattered with the incredible force of the golden light, the Ohmu blood flooding out. But Nausicaä's body was still floating in now mid-air, her arms as well as wings spread wide, golden light radiating from her chest.<p>

Then, without warning, the black feathers of her wings broke away into million pieces, revealing under them beautiful wings of thick golden light. The black colour of her hair too was washed away to be replaced by her usual soft, orange hair. She began to float upwards, her blue-dyed dress gently fluttering around her, golden light falling delicately in thin powder into the now lake of deep blue Ohmu blood.

Asbel, Nadasaru, Sedona and all the other Kumians in the laboratory stood agast and mesmerized by this miracle of gold and blue.

There came a bang, the double doors swung open and Kushana, Lord Yupa and the rest of the troop rushed in. They all froze and watched motionless as Nausicaä slowly glided down, her the golden wings beating magnificently.

Asbel snapped himelf out of what seemed a dream and, squelchingly, hurried to take Nausicaä into his arms. As soon as he touched her, the golden wings broke and fragmented themselves into thin dust, which then floated high up. But Asbel didn't pay attention to that.

"Nausicaä! Nausicaä! Wake up!" he shouted, calling her name, shaking her, desperately searching for a sign of life.

Then, to his relief, her eyebrows moved and her eyes fluttered open, to reveal glimmering hazelnut brown eyes.

"Asbel...?" she whispered.

Realization of what had happened dawned upon her and her eyes widened, a small gasp escaping her lips. Then she flung herself into Asbel's arms, hugging him tightly, whispering his name again. She couldn't tell how relieved she was to see him alive and safe. She wanted to tell him so much and most importantly, her love for him.

But as she gazed up into his dark brown ones and was about to open her mouth, there came a crack and the second tank shattered.

Confusion and panick spread across the people in the laboratory as they tried to escape the coming tsunami of crimson blue blood. Ohmu blood spilled out of a shattered tank a second time, this time rising into high waves and flooding the place even more.

Trying to protect Nausicaä from the glass shards that flew in every direction, Asbel tightened his grip on her and wrapped his arms protectively around her. A giant wave rose just above them and, both shouting cries, were engulfed by the thick, blue blood. They were swept yards away by the flowing tide of blood and then slammed into the wall as the wave flood past them, through the open double doors and out of the laboratory, searching a way out.

The laboratory was left devastated. Things, devices and machines were shattered and broken and men lay scattered all over the hall, many unconscious. Nadasaru and Sedona had somehow escaped the fate of their subordinates, escaping high up. Kushana, Lord Yupa and the majority of the rescuing party had also saved themselves, fleeing up onto the laboratory balcony.

Asbel picked himself groggily up from the pavement and, seeing Nausicaä lying a few feet away, began to slither painfully towards her.

"Nau...sicaä...!" he called, then coughed and spit out the blood he had gulped in while underwater. "Nausicaä, are you all right!"

Hearing her name, the girl stirred, then she too roused herself up, leaning onto her hands and coughed out the inhaled blood. Then, she turned to Asbel, giving him a half nod.

"I'm...all right... Are you?" she asked in return, concern spreading across her face as she took in Asbel's state.

He wasn't exactly unhurt: Bruises and cuts were all over him from the fight. And Nausicaä knew that Ohmu blood did nasty things to wounds if not treated immediately. But he shook his head, smiling faintly.

"I'm fine." he said.

Reassured and releaved, Nausicaä reached a trembling hand towards Asbel, then the two were clinging to each other, each silently telling the other that it was all right. But the moment of reunion didn't last long.

A pitch black arrow thudded just before Nausicaä, then dissolved into black smoke, making the two jump and look up. What Nausicaä saw in that precise moment made her heart stand still.

A figure stood up from the ruined and now empty tank and began to walk towards them bare foot, stepping carelessly on the blood wet, shard scattered floor. This person wore Nausicaä's light blue dress, her hair was black as night, her eyes blood red and full of hate and vengeance, leathery black wings sprouted from her back. Her face, identical to Nausicaä's, wore an expression of pure evil, a rutheless smile stamped across her face.

Nausicaä didn't need to ask who it was. She already knew: it was her Darkness.

She fell to her knees and stared motionless at the newborn Darkness standing before her. She suddenly became chalk white and felt numb, as if all the warmth in her had been extinguished. Her hands went to clutch her shuddering shoulders, but couldn't stop the shudders, of fear or coldness, she didn't know. But one thing she did know: she had released, no, _unleashed_ the Darkness into and upon the world.

Seeing Nausicaä's horror with pleasure, the Darkness opened her mouth and spoke. Even her voice was exactly identical to the princess's, only with a tone of evilness and coldness which Nausicaä certainly didn't have.

"_Waga na wa Rucha_. I am the Darkness of this world." she spoke, her eyes sliding like daggers to meet Nausicaä's eyes and grinned, revealing her dagger-like fangs. "We meet again, Nausicaä, but this time for real. Prepare to die, my Light."

At her eye contact, Nausicaä's body and mind instantly froze and was captured by the blood red gaze of the Darkness Rucha, still shuddering Then, she remembered nothing as her conciousness slipped away into complete darkness.

* * *

><p>Asbel felt as if he was watching a film. His body acted and moved without being commanded at. It was as if his consciousness had been pushed deep into the back of his mind and he was left only watching what he was doing.<p>

After Nausicaä had fallen unconscious, Rucha had been just about to raise a clawed hand on her, to deliver the final blow. But Asbel had jumped between the two and, even though getting himself a cut on his cheek, managed to fend the Darkness off. Her cold, indifferent words still rung in his ears. _"No matter, I will kill her, eventually..."_

He was running as fast as he could, carrying Nausicaä's limp body out of the ship. Next moment, he was standing in the flying Barge, still carrying Nausicaä, staring alongside Mito as, after the rest of the rescuing troop had been rescued out by other Tolmekian ships, the Kumian ship declined rapidly and finally crashed on top of one of the vast, bare mountains which formed the valley. There came an eruption as the ship exploded into an enormous fire ball.

And then, he was watching horrified as Rucha, along with Nadasaru and Sedona, was floating up high on a ship, laughing her head off as she gazed down upon all the death and destruction. She spread her arms wide.

"_Ankoku no sekai, ima, hajimareyo_!" she said, her voice magnified and sounding for miles ahead.

Asbel, now in full possession of his body, whipped around and watched in shock, horror and disbelief as, beginning from far behind the Darkness, the sky darkened into a shadow of pitch gray black. The sun, which had been setting, became even more feebler and looked as if it was dying out.

The young Pejite's eyes widened in horror. It couldn't be... it was impossible...!

And yet, before him, lay a shadowed world.

* * *

><p><strong>Now here's what I call climax! With Rucha brought physically into the world, what is Nausicaä going to do now...? Next chapter, you're in for a surprise, but you'll have to see for yourself! Until then...! (as always, drop in a review for me... you have my thanks! ) <strong>


	13. Chapter 13: Yakusoku, Soshite Shi

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Ok, first things first: if you usually don't read the a/ns at the bottom, please do this time! You'll understand when you get there, because you'll probably be fuming and absolutely dumbstruck. Yeah, that's right. Somethings going to happen...  
><strong>**Warning: this chapter contains applied character death! (but I'm not going to tell who's...!)  
><strong>**Disclaimer: No, don't any of the characters, except Rucha and Shunhi, of course! ^^**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Marude toki ga tomatta you ni: As if time had stopped  
><strong>**Kaze no kamisama, douka minna wo mamotte!: God of the winds, please protect everyone!  
><strong>**Hontou ni arigatou: Thank you really much  
><strong>**Gomen, Asbel, yurushite: I'm sorry, Asbel, forgive me  
><strong>**Mou konna ni kurushii no ni: It's already so painful  
><strong>**Asbel, onegai!: Asbel, please! (in a begging way)  
><strong>**Onegai!: 'please' said like, I'm counting on you  
><strong>**Nante koto wo!: How could she!  
><strong>**Dame! Tomatte!: No! Stop!  
><strong>**Kuru: (he) comes/ he's coming  
><strong>**Arigatou, soshite sayounara: Thank you and goodbye**

* * *

><p>Chapter 13: Yakusoku, Soshite Shi - A Promise and Death<p>

The dim, red sunlight silently penetrated through the window of Nausicaä's room. Nausicaä, fully dressed in her deep blue Pejite attire, stepped into the dying light and peered out of the window, eyes full of wavering emotions.

The now dying sun seemed to have frozen in its course; it was still going down, despite the fact that hours had already passed. Whether it was in the middle of the night or was already dawn, it was impossible to tell. Even the stars had been wiped out from the now pitch black skies. The red and unhealthy rays of sunlight seemed to be disappearing into the darkness around them.

"_Marude toki ga tomatta you ni_..." she whispered to herself and leaned over onto the wall.

Mere hours had passed since Rucha, her Darkness, had been unleashed into the world and she, Nausicaä, had fallen unconscious in a fever. But she what had happened while she was unconscious. She had seen everything, from Rucha's eyes: The fall of the Kumian ship, all the death and destruction and how her Darkness had used her dark powers upon her people. She knew what Rucha was capable of. And she had come to a conclusion.

But just then, there came a strange, tingling sound from behind her. Teto, who had somehow escaped the ship and had been until now soundly sleeping on the bed covers, roused himself up and began hissing, fur on end. The princess whipped around to see the surface of her mirror rippling and out from Nausicaä's reflection, Rucha's figure came into view. Surprisingly, Nausicaä didn't look at all surprised.

"What?" she asked, surprising herself for her calmness. It seemed that the fever had somehow diminished her fear towards her Darkness a great deal. "Have you come to gloat, or what?"

The Darkness laughed coldly, then looked straight into Nausicaä's eyes. The orange haired princess neither looked away nor flinched from the blood-red gaze.

"Quite the contrary, Nausicaä. I have come to make you an offer." she said smoothly.

"And that maybe?" the girl asked, simultaneously asking herself at the back of her mind where on earth had all her fears for her Darkness disappeared.

Rucha smiled. "Come on, Nausicaä. I know that what you desire the most now is that your people, particularly _him_, are saved and spared from me."

Nausicaä flinched back this time and bit her lip. She couldn't hide what she truly wished and felt from her shadowed part.

"And frankly," Rucha continued, pretending to ignore Nausicaä's reaction. "All _I_ want is you dead, Nausicaä. So," she cocked her head to one side. "why don't we make a compromise? You hand yourself over and let me kill you, and I give you my word that I won't lay a single finger on the people of your Valley!"

Nausicaä twisted her face. She knew why Rucha wanted to kill her: to have full use of her dark powers and unleash them, Rucha had to kill her because she was in a way, as Rucha's other part, stopping Rucha's true powers to surface.

"Do think I would trust you, Rucha? You who tricked me into nearly giving up; I should trust the word of my Darkness!" She shouted and shook her head vigorously. "Never!"

Rucha's smile slightly faltered, then she smirked again. Her image began to fade, and while doing so, she said, "I am going to give you one hour, Nausicaä. If you do not decide by then, I shall attack this Valley and destroy it."

Next moment, she was gone and the reflection of Nausicaä's chalk white face reflected upon the mirror.

She slumped onto the floor, motionless staring at her reflection. What was she going to do?

Teto swiftly ran up to her and began crooning and squeaking, running up and down her shoulders. It was unclear whether he was trying to comfort her or was merely concerned.

But Nausicaä didn't waste too long in thinking; she didn't have the luxury of hesitations and choices. She stood up, face set: she was going to Rucha. But not let herself be killed. No, she was going speak and finally tame her.

"Rucha, I'm not going to let you win." she whispered decisively, touching the cool surface of the mirror with one hand.

Then she returned to look at her beloved Valley for one last time. She closed her eyes and joined her hands in a prayer.

"_Kaze no kami-sama, douka minna wo mamotte_!" she uttered in hallow tone, sending the desperate prayer into the skies.

Just then, there came a knock on the door and Asbel poked his head in. He look taken aback and surprised as he saw Nausicaä fully dressed and out of bed. Nausicaä looked just as much surprised.

"Asbel..." she whispered. "Why...?"

"I thought I heard voices, so came to check on you." he said, looking at her concerned. "Are you all right, Nausicaä? How're you feeling? What are you doing, dressed like that?"

He must have noticed the Ohmu dyed dress.

Asbel might not know it, but Nausicaä had never put this dress on ever since the day of her resurrection, six months back. And putting it on meant to her, that she was prepared to even die for what she was about to do.

Nausicaä inclined her head, then looked again out of the window.

"I was saying my goodbyes." she said quietly.

Asbel frowned, but didn't ask any further. Instead he came closer and together, they silently watched the deathly quiet landscape around them.

The wind seemed to have stopped; except the men helping to sort out the remains of the burned ship up on the mountain, all the inhabitants had retreated in their respective housings, leaving behind a tensed air and atmosphere full of fear and apprehension.

As Nausicaä watched with pained eyes this stilled Valley, Asbel took out the blue crystal pendant and wound it around her neck.

Surprised, Nausicaä took the crystal drop in her hands, gave it a glance, then looked up at Asbel with startled, questioning eyes, words failing her.

He simply smiled. "It's a rare crystal called Aerthium; I found it in the ruins of ShinLaputa. I actually wanted to give it to you at the Autumn Festival in two days, but since we're in such circumstances where you don't know if you're going to make it through alive or not... " He made a small resigned sign with his shoulders.

In hearing the name of Shunhi's city, her expression darkened for a fraction of a second, then was gone.

Then, tears started to slide down her chin and drop onto her hands still holding the crystal as she silently gazed down at the pendant. Gratitude and an incredible painful feeling instantly filled her heart. She felt a hand on her shoulder and heard Asbel's voice calling her, concerned and worried.

"Nausicaä...? Are you all right?"he asked worriedly.

But she slowly shook head and before he could say anything else, she had quickly wiped off her tears. She turned to face him and smiled, but it was such a sad and painfully kind smile that the Pejite prince was taken aback.

"Nausi-"

"Arigatou, Asbel. _Hontou ni arigatou_." she said. She stepped forwards and hugged him tightly.

Slightly surprised, Asbel nodded and hugged her back. He had a sudden urge to ask why her eyes were so sad and reflected something painful, but didn't.

Almost that precise moment, _'This is the last time I can see him... At least...'_ Nausicaä thought as she broke the hug and gazed up into his dark brown eyes. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then, something quite unexpected and different rolled out of her.

"I'm glad to have seen you one last time, Asbel." she uttered softly.

Next moment, she realized what she had just said. But too late. In her mind, Nausicaä gave in. _'So I couldn't tell him afterall...'_

"Nausicaä, what...?" his voice sounded confused.

She took a step towards him. "Asbel, I'm going to meet Rucha."

She saw his frown deepen. "What! Are you serious, Nausicaä! She tried to kill you, she's still trying to!"

The princess lowered her hazelnut gaze, not daring to meet his dark brown one.

"I know that. But," she said, her voice still quiet. She looked up abruptly, pushing her desperate eyes into his. "But I can't stand it anymore! You saw it too, Asbel, when the Kumian ship fell! And on top of that, how many men, Valley, Pejite, Tolmekians and even Kumians have died!"

Asbel opened his mouth to answer, but Nausicaä got the better of him.

"Many, Asbel! Too many, and all of them for my sake! _Mine_!" she said, voice vibrating with so many indistinguishable emotions, her hand flying to her chest. She lowered her head again. "I can't take it anymore. All these people dying for my sake. That's why I'm going to Rucha; to tame her and finally end this prophecy!"

There came a dead silence. Then, Asbel finally spoke up.

"All right...," he said in an equally dead serious tone.

Nausicaä looked up, not believing her ears. He was actually letting her go! A smile of gratitude began appear on her lips, a smile which was quickly crushed by the words that followed.

"...But I'm coming with you." he finished his sentence, looking fiercely into Nausicaä's eyes, which now began to widen in horror.

_'No...'_ this single word sounded repeatedly in her head as she began to shake her head. Unconsciously, she repeated these aloud. _'No, no, NO!'_ If Asbel came with her, if he did, then...

Dread rapidly filled her heart as the scene of her nightmare, a nightmare she knew will become true if she didn't prevent it from becoming so, came into her mind.

"NO!"she screamed.

Next second, she had pushed Asbel with both her hands away from her, making him crush against the wall. She was panting, her heart beating fast. She _had_ to prevent...!

"Nau-!"

"No," she repeated, voice dropping again to a whisper, still refusing to look into his eyes. "No, Asbel. You have to stay here. You _have to_!"

She took a step backwards and let her hands fall to her side. Her shoulders began to quiver.

"Please, Asbel," she said, lips equally trembling. "just do as I say."

She could sense Asbel's perplexed and concerned eyes looking at her, watching every movement she made.

She turned her back to him and over her shoulder, she managed to say, "_Gomen_, Asbel, _yurushite_...!"

And made a run for it.

But just as she took one step forwards, she felt a firm hand around her wrist.

"Wait!" Asbel shouted, gripping her wrist tightly. "Nausicaä, what do you mean?"

From where Asbel's hand made contact with her skin, she could capture every single pulse of her racing blood. She began to pant again, her heartbeat began to race as pain such as she had never felt, spread across her. She loved him too much, she couldn't bear to see him hurt for her sake any longer. It had been already too much for her to part with Asbel in such a manner; did he have to make it worse? _'Oh Asbel...! Don't make it even more difficult for me! Mou konna ni kurushii no ni...!'_ she pleaded inwardly, but from her lips, only short, desperate huffs escaped her.

"Asbel, _onegai_! Just let me go...!" she managed to say through shaky breaths.

But to her thorough dismay, Asbel refused stubbornly with a shake of his head.

"No. I'm not going to let you go unless you're going to tell me a reason." he said firmly.

His grip tightened even more on her wrist. Nausicaä couldn't tell if her pounding heart or her wrist hurt more.

Her trembling lips parted as she was about to say something, but instead ended up gasping as Asbel pulled her backwards and wound his arms around her.

"I love you, Nausicaä." he whispered into her ear. His words made shivers run down all through Nausicaä's body. "I love you. I've let go of you already once, and that time, I thought I'd really lost you. I promised myself I'd never let you go anymore, no matter what, and that I'd protect you from every harm in the world."

He gently turned her to face him and she could help but look up into his chocolate-brown eyes, now a swirling pool of love gazing down upon her.

"I'm your Knight afterall."he breathed softly, cupping her face into his hands.

Nausicaä couldn't resist. How could she? She loved him.

She let her face gently glide upwards and their lips met.

Tears spilled out of her closed eyes as she wound her arms around him, pressing her body against his. Oh how she loved him...

They parted. Asbel placed a hand on her cheek and still holding her gaze, he asked gently, "What's troubling you, Nausicaä?"

She tried to lower her eyes, away from his loving ones, but found out she couldn't. She finally gave in and told him. She told him everything, from the nightmare to even what happened in Isekai and her destiny as the real Savior.

Asbel listened to her all throughout, never taking his eyes go off her. When she finally finished, there came a deathly silence.

Then, Asbel broke the silence with a sigh.

"I understand." he breathed with a nod. "Nausicaä..."

But she remained silent, refusing to meet his eyes again because she knew that if she did do, she would not be able to break the eye contact again.

"Nausicaä," he called again, putting a firm hand on her shoulder. "I can't let you go alone to Rucha; I _won't_. Not a second time."

Giving out a desperate sigh, the orange haired princess looked up into his face, desperation contorting her own face.

"Asbel, please..." she pleaded as warm tears ran down her cheeks once more. "Please, I just can't see you be hurt for real just for me...!"

"And so do I!" he retorted fiercely. "I can't stand to see you hurt, either!" He pulled her again into him, holding her tightly. "Then let's change our fate! If it's that fate which makes you afraid of loosing me, then let's change it!"

He took her face into his palms once more, searching with his eyes something in her own.

Nausicaä opened her mouth and whispered, "But..."

"If I promise you that I'm not going get myself killed, will let me go with you?" he asked gently, yet still with a serious tone.

Nausicaä said nothing, uncertain. Then, finally, she gave in and nodded. Relief and gratitude spread across Asbel' face as he smiled, but before he could say something, Nausicaä spoke.

"But promise me, Asbel, promise me that you won't do anything dangerous." she said quietly.

He nodded. "You have my word."

A smile broke upon her lips and she closed her eyes. "Arigatou, Asbel. You don't how much it means to me..."

The Pejite prince didn't reply and pulled her into another hug, which she too returned.

"When all is over, let's go at the Autumn Festival together, all right?" he said in a hushed voice in her ear.

She nodded. "Promise?"

"Promise."

All the while, in Nausicaä's heart, there was the urge of saying to him, telling Asbel the words she had been wanting to tell for ages. She took a deep breath.

"Asbel, I-"

But just then, the door banged open and thundering in came Mito, crying, "Hime-sama! The-"

He stopped dead when he saw Nausicaä still Asbel arms, the Pejite prince's arms still wound around her shoulders and waist.

"Oh..." he said apologetically. "Erm... Bad timing?"

The two blinked several times, then quickly broke up embarrassed, both blushing.

Noticing this, the one-eyed man got wind of something and made to go. "Ah, iya, Hime-sama, I best to be going...!"

"What! No, Mito!" Nausicaä cried still blushing, waving her hands before herself. "Really, Mito, there's no need... What is it, anyway?"

Hesitating slightly, Mito said feebly, "The Kumians and that Darkness have started to attack again..."

"What!" Both Nausicaä and Asbel cried in unison.

And exactly that moment, there came an explosion from outside, closely followed by others, and the two whipped around to watch in horror as three pitch black balls of shadows thudded into the surrounding fields of the Valley and exploded, setting the fields around them into fire.

What came next could've been even more shocking.

"Nausicaä...!" Rucha's cold voice sounded not only in the room, but in the entire Valley. "Nausicaä, your time is up! What is your answer: to die or watch as your loved ones die for you?"

Next second, Nausicaä had, without any further hesitation, bolted out of the room and was sprinting up the stairs, closely followed by Asbel and Mito.

"Nausicaä! Where are you going!" Asbel bellowed after her.

Not stopping or relenting, Nausicaä called back from her shoulder, "There's no time! I have to go now!"

They came out onto the watch tower where Nausicaä's Mehve was standing on it't wooden stand, ready to be launched into the now howling winds. Gol was up there too; he whipped around surprised and perplexed from where he had been leaning to watch the attack as he saw the three coming up.

"But that's madness, Hime-sama!" Mito cried, trying to stop the princess from what she was about to do. "It's suicide!"

"It's the only way." she replied as she out on her breathing mask. She would not have any time before entering the Toxic Jungle. Teto leaped lightly onto her shoulder and climbed into her shirt.

Asbel too put his own mask on, then said, "Wait, Nausicaä. I'm going to get my gunship."

But she shook her head. "No, there isn't time! You'll have to come on the Mehve!"

"But-"

"Asbel, hurry!" she cried in frustration.

Asbel closed his mouth shut, nodded and climbed up onto the white glider, lying upon its main body as he had done once before six months back.

While he did this, Nausicaä turned to the gaping men before her.

"Mito, gather everyone into the castle and barricade yourselves in it. Wait until they've finished attacking. Don' try to fight, you won't stand a chance!" she ordered. Then, she added in a sadder voice, "If we don't come back, Mito, take care of the others!"

Mito simply stared back at her, speechless. "Hime-sama..."

She smiled back at the one-eyed man. "Don't worry, Mito, and trust me!"

Then she too swiftly climbed up the wooden ladder and was up in her usual position.

"Golu...! _Onegai_!"

The watchman finished to gape at the three. Still having no idea what was going on, he hurried to stand and pulled the lever, sending the white Mehve high into the air, prehaps for the last time.

* * *

><p>They were flying in the middle of the Forest of Decay. The whole Forest stood still, all insect seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.<p>

_'Naze...? Where are all the insects?'_ Nausicaä thought as she watched silently the deserted landscaped pass them by as they sped into the heart of the Toxic Jungle. Her heart was pounding an unnaturally slow beat, one which gave her an uneasy feeling that something was about to happen.

Asbel was equally uneasy, but he kept to himself. The two hadn't spoken a word from the start of the flight, both tensed and waiting for what happened next.

And just as they turned a corner of an odd-shaped mountain, they saw her, both at the same time: Rucha was quietly waiting for them in a clearing, seated on a heap that served as a throne of what Nausicaä soon realized was of slaughtered insects; her bloodied sword resting before her on her lap. The orange-haired princess couldn't bear to look at the sight and closed her eyes, blinking away tears.

_'Nante koto wo...!'_

Rucha seemed to have known that they were coming. Grinning coldly, she sprang into the air, her black wings unfolding.

"Nausicaä, be careful!" Asbel shouted through his mask.

In that precise moment, the Darkness had brought a hand before her, from which thick black tentacles erupted and shot towards the white Mehve. Nausicaä manged to pirouette the glider away. Dozens of other tentacles came speeding at them and she narrowly missed them, dodging expertly, but yet still dangerously this way and that.

"It's no use! Nausicaä, let's turn back!" Asbel shouted above the howling wind.

After dodging another swipe, Nausicaä stubbornly answered back, "No! I have to reach her!"

She maneuvered the Mehve downwards and began to fly towards the trees. Soon Rucha was flying after them, directing her dark tentacles of shadows.

"Watch out!"

Asbel's voice sounded and a fraction of a second later, she saw it too, coming towards them from the right. With a miraculous pull, the young wind rider managed to dodge the swiping tentacle.

But then another thing happened. With that pull, she had neared the Mehve too much at the surrounding trees and while swerving, the left wing of the glider crashed into the next branch, flinging the two riders out.

Asbel was thrown out and landed out of sight in a clustered of bushes yards away, whilst Nausicaä collided with a cry with a tree trunk, her left shoulder hitting it hard.

Groaning in pain through gritted teeth, she struggled up. Just behind her, she heard a soft noise as someone landed. She turned and found Rucha, grinning mercilessly from ear to ear, holding her sword back in a swing.

Next moment, the sword thudded into the trunk as Nausicaä flung herself to the side, narrowly missing her death.

Suddenly, all her fear towards her Darkness, which Nausicaä now realized had been merely dormant in her, awakened and took control of her body, trapping Nausicaä's consciousness. She simply lied there, panting, staring up at Rucha with fearful eyes.

And then Nausicaä found herself running; running and running deep into the Forest, trying escape her Darkness's deathly claws. As fear controlled her body, all her consciousness could do was watch horrified as the landscape from her dream passed her by.

_'No...'_

Now she was going to turned the corner and there! There was the Ohmu shell.

_'No...! No!'_

She was beginning to climb up the hill. Soon she would see the top and slip in the slime.

_'No! It can't be!'_

She slipped, as expected. She tried to stand up, but toppled to the ground with a scream.

_'Dame! Tomatte!'_

But even as her consciousness desperately tried to regain control, her eyes fell to the wound as the crimson blood began to ooze out of her ankle. Her hands instantly flew to clutch it.

Her heart was pounding, her breath huffing. Footsteps were now to be heard, coming nearer and nearer. She looked up, even though she wanted and willed herself not to with all her might.

And there she was. Standing right before her, was Rucha. Just as from her dream, she was covered with insect and human blood alike, blood gently dripping from her sword, her wings spread wide around her.

Their eyes met and locked. Despair filled Nausicaä as she stared hopelessly into the wine red gaze, full of hatred and pleasure for killing. But she saw something else too. Sorrow, so much deep sorrow and despair were hidden behind all the anger and hatred which the red eyes emitted, that Nausicaä was left surprised for a moment.

But when Rucha raised her sword, Nausicaä dreadingly knew what was going to happen. _'Kuru...'_

And there he came tumbling towards them, shouting her name.

"NAUSICAÄ!"

Even though her eyes managed to escape the ones of Rucha, her consciousness was still trapped and as if horridly mesmerized, Nausicaä watched as Asbel fought her Darkness. As he was holding her blade with his own off, he looked over his shoulders to Nausicaä.

"Nausicaä, go! I'll hold her off! GO!" he bellowed and his desperate dark brown eyes met her own hazelnut ones.

The seal broke. The fear's control disappeared and Nausicaä's consciousness regained controll over her body. She knew what was coming. And took action.

Everything happened as if in slow motion, taking what seemed minutes to happen. As Rucha swung her blade forwards, Nausicaä shoved Asbel out of the way, pushing him aside and taking his place. The blade subsequently sunk in her.

As the blade run through her, Nausicaä released a gasp from the contact of the cold, icy blade with her warm flesh. Instantly, a blinding pain erupted from just below her chest as blood began to gush out.

She thudded onto her knees, unable to think or do anything. All she did was to stare into those pitiless, cold red eyes of her Darkness as she drew out her blade and pushed her off the cliff.

_'So this is how I die...'_ was her last thought as she began falling through the air.

* * *

><p>Asbel watched horror-struck as Nausicaä took his place and was run through by Rucha's blade. He jaw dropped and his face contorted into one of pain, shock and disbelief mixed all together. He couldn't move. All thoughts and feelings had stopped.<p>

He watched as Rucha took her blade slowly out of Nausicaä and with a shove, pushed her down the cliff.

It was then when he returned to himself.

Without hesitating or waiting, Asbel threw himself out from the high cliff, hand outstretched before him, trying to reach Nausicaä.

"NAUSICAÄ!" he bellowed with all the air had in his lungs.

She was feet away from him, eyes closed, her hair billowing in her face, droplets of blood soaring up as she fell.

And just as Asbel finally managed to get hold of her and wrap his arms around her, something incredible and quiet impossible happened: bright blue light was released from the crystal pendant Nausicaä was wearing and as it did, they began to slow down. The Pejite prince watched incredulous as they began to actually sail gently down the long and deep void in the Forest, through a hole and into the oxygen caverns.

It could've taken seconds. It could've been minutes.

Asbel didn't know, couldn't tell and frankly, he didn't care how long it took. What he was mostly concerned and worried about was Nausicaä's condition. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the blue light from the crystal began to fade away rapidly. He quickly carried Nausicaä over to a fallen trunk and laid her there.

She was breathing rapidly in and out, her breath huffing. Her clothes were stained from her own blood and she clutching the wound tightly. Even as she did so, a pool of blood began to spread quickly around her.

Gritting his teeth, Asbel turned to go and get some water, but stopped in midtracks as he heard Nausicaä's voice calling him.

"Asbel..."

He whipped around and was kneeling over her in seconds. She had opened her eyes and were now shining like jewels. A hand was outstretched before her, beckoning him.

"Nausicaä-!"

"Asbel... Asbel!" she whispered faintly. Her voice was brittle and shaky from the effort of breathing and the pain of her wound.

_'If I am to die like this, at least...'_ she thought as she looked up painfully into his worried gaze. She moved a hand up and behind her head and took her mask off. She knew that they were in the caves. She saw something flicker across Asbel's face, but which disappeared quickly enough.

"I'm here, Nausicaä! Don't worry!" he said reassuringly.

As much as she would have liked to, Nausicaä didn't shake her head. _'Asbel, fate isn't something you can simply change... If you do, you have take the place of the fated person, just like I did...'_ Instead she smiled feebly and tried to sit up. This caused her to cough up blood and pain coursed through her again, making her gasp and fall back again.

"Baka! What are you doing, you should lie down!" she heard Asbel's words, but she shook her head.

Sighing slightly, Asbel helped her up to a sitting position, his hand at her back to sustain her.

"...Asbel... I love you..." she managed to breath.

She saw a frown etching deeply into his face.

"Nausicaä, what..?"

She smiled again, her lips reddening with her blood. Then, slowly she reached a hand out to touch Asbel cheek and, heaving herself out, leaned in and pressed her lips against his. How long the kiss lasted neither of them knew.

But then Nausicaä leaned back, her hand still on Asbel's cheek. She smiled, her eyes deathly sad, her skin pale as ash.

"Asbel, _arigatou, soshite sayounara_..." she whispered with her last breath.

Then she fell back as her eyelids closed and her hand slipped away from Asbel's cheek down and landed with a soft thud in her lap.

Asbel watched all this with horrified eyes and sat petrified at her side as he looked down upon Nausicaä's still body. She was beautiful as ever, garbed in her blue dress and her soft orange hair framing her now chalk white face, her lips red with blood and her angelic face wearing an expression of deathly peace.

"Nausicaä...?" he whispered, horror-struck.

She did not move.

"Nausicaä!" he launched himself onto her, shook her, called her name, but never did those eyes open again.

"NAUSICAÄ!"

The echoes of his despaired roars sounded throughout the entire Forest.

* * *

><p>The lady with long, shining silver hair looked up from the face in her lap, her slim fingers poised inches above his face. Her deep golden eyes widened in shock as, from a sudden bright light before her, a young figure appeared.<p>

"What on earth... are _you_ doing here...?" she managed to whisper as she stared at the Valley princess before her, fully garbed in a deep blue dress.

* * *

><p><strong>Now hang on there and hear me out before you go and give me burning flames!: This story is going to have a HAPPY ending, meaning that <strong>_**all**_** characters are going to live to see the end of this story! How they'll manage it, however, only the following chapters can tell you that...! ^o^  
><strong>**Well, what do you think is going to happen? Mmm, all right, I'm going to tell you one thing: Nausicaä is going to come back. That's a definite fact. Let me hear your thoughts about this chapter and how the story is going revolve! ^^**


	14. Chapter 14: Sukui

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Right then, folks! Chp. 14 is finally up! yay \^o^/ I have to admit, the last chapter was quite a thing; it actually left me quite shaken! Ain't joking, I couldn't even re-read what I had written or write a single word after it for three days! It made me actually realize just how much Nausicaä had grown to me and killing her off (even for a short period) had left me in a state of shock. Honest!  
><strong>**Now then back to the flow of the story...**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Shinda/Shinjatta: She's dead (-jatta is a more childish form)  
><strong>**Oide: Come  
><strong>**Tanomu: Please/I beg you  
><strong>**Koko yo: I'm here  
><strong>**Tori no Hito ga shinda: The Bird Person (=again, Nausicaä) is dead  
><strong>**Orokamono!: You fool!  
><strong>**Kaze Tsukai: Wind Rider  
><strong>**Makotoni kansha shite oru: I am really grateful  
><strong>**Oniichan: litr. big or older brother  
><strong>**Sa, yuku no jya: Now, go  
><strong>**Kaa-sama: Mother. There are different ways of calling "mother", depending on how and which style you adopt when speaking (slang/formal/boyish/girlish), this is how Nausicaä calls her mum, both in film and manga (yeah, I know, Japanese is bloody complicated...! ^^)  
><strong>**Uso desho: It's a lie, isn't it  
><strong>**Mattete, watshi no kishi: Wait for me, my Knight  
><strong>**Sa, iiko dakara: Now, be a good boy/child**

* * *

><p>Chapter 14: Sukui - Help<p>

_"...Shinda...Shinda..."_

A saddened and aggrieved voice said, sounding throughout the entire caverns.

The young Pejite prince paused to listen, tears silently streaking down and dropping onto Nausicaä's face.

_"...Shinda...Oide...Oide..."_ The voice said in a whisper yet again, as if calling, no, _summoning_ someone. Then, it stopped at its third calling.

Asbel opened his eyes and raised his head a few inches from Nausicaä's shoulder in which he had sunk his face.

He was trembling. Every single limb of him was. And a pain, an unbelievable pain had descended deep into him, bringing despair with it and quenching all hope out of him.

New tears formed and slid down his face as he looked upon the unstirred and seemingly dormant body of the girl in his arms. Oh, how she just looked as if she were sleeping.

"Nausicaä..! Please, open your eyes...!" a strangled whisper escaped his lips, but he knew better of it. The princess would not either stir or open her eyes.

The reason he knew, but great part of him simply did not want to accept the truth. He refused to check her pulse or her breathing, because then, he would completely lose hope.

He sank his head again. "Tanomu!"

Then, he heard it again. The voice, calling,

"_...Shinda...Tori no Hito ga shinda...Oide...Oide..."_

The voice seemed to repeat always the same thing: She's dead, she's dead. Come. Come.

Driven by curiosity which halted the constant flow of his grief momentarily, this time Asbel stood up, skimming his eyes through the vast, blueish caves. He frowned. From where...? _Who_ was calling?

"Hey! Is anybody there!" he called, his voice surprisingly strong.

Then, to his surprise, there came a sigh, followed closely by a crying, sobbing voice. _"Shinda... Shinjatta..."_

The voice now became to sound more high-pitched and child-like. Asbel was taken aback. _'What on earth is a kid doing down here?'_ he thought, racking his brains. He came to a decision and picked Nausicaä up again. He started to walk.

"Where are you? Come out, don't be afraid!" he said, loudly enough to carry away for yards away. "Where are you?"

_"Koko yo...Oide..."_

The child said and Asbel snapped his head to the left, looking at a large log about twice as tall as him. His eyes widened and his mouth nearly fell open as he simply stared at the small, frail figure perched on top of it: a young girl, no more than five or six years old, was looking down upon him. Her pale white hair framed her equally pale and delicate face, her entire body was and wearing a white dress. The little girl looked more like a ghost or a spirit of some kind. Hadn't it been for a ghostliness and transparency, Asbel would have thought she was Nausicaä's younger self.

Regardless of this, Asbel shoved an uncertain foot before him and slowly, he came closer to the little girl. As he neared, only her head moved, watching him expressionless. He came at a stop only a few feet away from the log. The girl smiled at him in a saddened way and he noticed that shining liquid was poring gently out of her eyes and dropping soundlessly into her lap.

He opened his mouth to speak, but found that his throat had been a tight knot. He simply stood there, his arms carrying Nausicaä's limp body, looking up at the small, crying girl, uncertain how or what to say. Should he comfort her? Why was she here in these oxygen caverns in the first place? Where were her parents?

Asbel licked his lips and tentatively said, "Why are you crying?"

It hadn't actually been the thing he had been planing to say, but now that the words had escaped him, he closed his mouth shut and waited.

The sad and faint smile faltered, then completely vanished from the young girl's face. Sadness and grief descended upon her young face as she dropped her gaze to Nausicaä.

"_For the same reason as you sorrow_..." she said in a faint voice, tears newly forming in her eyes.

Then, without warning, she lifted herself up and jumped lightly off the log, landing softly just before Asbel. Surprised, Asbel didn't move as the little girl came up to him, her eyes on Nausicaä, and stopped again a hands breath away from her. She raised her hand and gently, almost afraid, she caressed the princess's cheek. A single, silvery tear slid down and dropped onto the Aerthium pendant at her neck. Then, still gazing down at Nausicaä with wavering emotions, she leaned away.

The young Pejite prince watched all this in astonishment and surprise. He moved his eyes questioningly from Nausicaä to the little girl and backwards again. She simply smiled again and yet again in a sad way.

She turned her back to him and over her shoulder, she said, _"Come... Follow me..."_

And she was sprinting away, but looking back at him, her eyes telling him to follow. And follow he did. First, walking, but then he realized that somehow the strange girl was becoming more and more faster, agile, and that the distance between them was becoming bigger.

"Wait!" he shouted after the running girl.

He too broke into a run, huffing and panting, Nausicaä's body in his arms relenting him. The girl, however, seemed to run tirelessly, her body never tiring and running with agility. The more she ran, the more and more she brought him deeper into the caverns.

Finally, after what seemed an endless time, she relented, then came at a stop. Asbel stopped just a few yards away, panting and catching his breath. He looked and saw that they had stopped just before a vast, crystal blue lake from the underground rivers that run in the caverns. A huge hole in the forest ceiling was exactly above the center of the lake, illuminating the lake and its banks with shining, nearly blinding light.

The girl turned to him, her pale gaze looking innocently up to him, the sad, near melancholic smile playing on her lips.

_"We've been waiting for you..."_ she said.

Ripples started to widen upon the smooth surface of the water. All Asbel could do was to watch motionless as from behind the little girl, first a grey-greeninsh shell, then innumerable light blue eyes and finally, the head and body of the lord of the insects, emerged from the waters.

Fully aware of what was behind her, the girl smiled kindly.

_"Thank you..."_ she said, her eyes never leaving Asbel and Nausicaä, as she slowly faded away.

Asbel was left stare at the insect before him.

"Ohmu..." he whispered, awe, fear and astonishment flowing together in this sole word.

Then, an idea came up to him, an idea which brought long-lost hope back to him.

"Ohmu! Please..!" he cried, automatically stepping forwards, his eyes dropping down to look at the motionless Nausicaä in his arms. "Please... Save her! Save her as you did at that time! I beg you!" He fell to his knees. "PLEASE...!"

There came the sound of moving water as the Ohmu began to climb out of the lake and onto the white bank. Thin golden tentacles slid smoothly out from its many legs, its mouth, and graciously glided towards Asbel, touching him gently on the cheek.

Under their touch, Asbel gave a start from the unearthly contact, then slowly looked upwards into the many eyes of the insect, his own dark brown ones shining with broken hope, and yet still battling with despair.

And only then did he notice, now that the Ohmu had fully emerged from the crystal clear waters, something quite striking. The Ohmu was no taller than himself, maybe surpassing him by a few inches, and even though the intensely blue eyes reflected already profound wisdom and peacefulness, its height and its short tentacles stated quite clear: it was a baby Ohmu. But the fact that it was still very young wasn't the only thing; hollow circles as big as dishes were scattered on the otherwise smooth plates covering its body protectively. Hollow circles which resembled scars of heavy wounds from not long ago...

Asbel's eyes widened in recognition.

"You're the Ohmu my people wounded... back then...!" he whispered.

There was no mistake: the scars were the making of those nails that been dug into it's shell. Fear started to creep into Asbel. What if the Ohmu had come for revenge? What then...?

Then, he remembered Nausicaä's words, when she had explained to him that the insects are virtually harmless, unless you showed intentions to hurt them. _"You have to throw away your fears and hate. You have to make them clear that you're not their enemies and that you mean them no harm..."_

He gulped. He had no option. If he wanted to save Nausicaä, he had to trust her words and do as she had said. He took a deep breath, trying to settle down his nervousness. Then he hesitated. What should he do? Asbel wasn't an adept in handling with insects like Nausicaä; he had never done so. Nausicaä had always said that Ohmu were the most intelligent of the insects, competing in one way with mankind. He decided to treat the baby Ohmu as a human child.

So, after he had laid down Nausicaä, he took his sheathed sword out of his belt and placed it too before the Ohmu.

"Listen...," he said, he voice betraying his still remaining nervousness. "I don't mean any harm. I'm not an enemy of yours. You... you don't have to be afraid, all right?"

He felt himself like an idiot, speaking so openly to an Ohmu; maybe it didn't understand him, let alone respond him in words!

His eyes dropped to the floor and met Nausicaä's peaceful face. He made a jolt. _'What am I doing! I'm wasting time!'_

Forgetting all attempts in making the baby Ohmu understand him, Asbel looked desperately up and deep into the Ohmu's blue eyes.

"Ohmu,_ please_! Heal her, _save_ Nausicaä as you did back then!" he pleaded, sinking his head down. "Please, I beg you!"

He held his breath, eyes shut, waiting to hear the insect's reaction. There followed a deathly silence, only the trickling sound of the small rivers and waters around them could be heard.

Then, Asbel began to hear crooning noises from the Ohmu. He looked up to see more and more golden tentacles gliding towards him and Nausicaä; they began to touch them gently as the baby Ohmu came a little closer. He began to feel deep, strong emotions, emotions that were however not his: deep sorrow and pity. He frowned. Were these the Ohmu's...?

And then, without warning, he heard it.

_'...Shinda... shinda...Tori no Hito ga shinda...'_ the Ohmu's voice sounded in his head.

"But you can heal her, can't you! You can bring her back to life!" he cried. To his horror, the Ohmu seemed to shake its head.

_'No..., no! She has been already resurrected once! We have only the power to bring back only once...! She can't be saved anymore...'_ the Ohmu lamented.

As it's words faded into his mind, their true meaning were left to sink heavily in him and the new hope that had been born inside Asbel slowly began to disintegrate. In its place, broken, shattered and lost despair descended like a heavy claw into him.

"No..." from his lips, this single word came repeatedly out.

He slumped down, staring aimlessly at Nausicaä lying motionless before him. _'No..., no... No...!'_

The golden tentacles were swarming and sailing around them like never before. Then the Ohmu said something that made his heart stand still.

_'But there could be another way...'_ it said hesitantly, unsure whether it was right in telling such a thing to a mere human boy.

Asbel jolted upwards, all at ears. His expression became a fierce frown. Did this Ohmu mean he thought it meant?

"What do you mean?" he asked cautiously with a strangled voice.

Again, the young Ohmu seemed to hesitate. _'There is an ancient way in bringing back an already resurrected life...and it requires a life in exchange...'_

The Pejite didn't hesitate. He understood the Ohmu's words in its full meaning. To have a life back meant that you had to give one away.

"I don't mind! I'll do it!" he said fiercely, taking Nausicaä into his arms and giving a loving gaze.

He felt wavering, uncertain emotions coming from the Ohmu. _'But...'_

Asbel merely shook his head and, his eyes never leaving Nausicaä's face, he muttered softly, "I'm her Knight. My fate and destiny is to save her. I should've died at the hands of Rucha, but she protected me and instead took my place. Now, I have the chance to fulfill my destiny, even if it means that I won't be able to be at her side."

He turned to look straight into one of the many blue eyes of the insect before him.

"Please...!" he whispered.

Approval was to be sensed from the Ohmu's tentacles.

_'Very well...'_ it said, as if sighing.

Asbel nodded and he let himself be wrapped up the golden, velvety tentacles. He closed his eyes as he began feeling something slip slowly out and away from him. He held Nausicaä close to himself and oddly enough, he felt very calm. Then, a sudden darkness engulfed his conciousness, after which he knew not.

* * *

><p>"What on earth... are <em>you<em> doing here...?" Shunhi's astonished, flabbergasted and thunderstruck voice sounded through the vast room.

The silver-haired lady froze as she gazed up from where she was sitting to Nausicaä, who was standing before her. In a blinding white light, the princess with orange hair had appeared out of nowhere, dressed in blood stained blue Pejite clothing.

But the ruler of Isekai did not let herself be intimidated by the surprise. With a sudden and swift movement, she stood up, her face suddenly furious.

"Orokamono!" she shouted, her golden eyes shining dangerously. "Why have you returned!"

She moved quickly towards the princess, her long hair and robes swishing behind her, and then she was standing before her, looking down upon her with a towering temper.

"Explain yourself." she hissed through her clenched teeth.

Until now, Nausicaä had avoided looking directly at the lady in golden robes, her face wearing a neutral expression. But in hearing Shunhi's furious outburst, her expression quickly changed into a troubled one. As a frown etched itself deeply into her face, sorrow and pain entered the princess's eyes. She lowered her head, not daring now to meet Shunhi's gaze.

"Gomenasai." was the first thing she could whisper. "Hontouni gomenasai..."

Shunhi seemed to halt at her rage, the menace in her eyes faltered slightly. She did not say anything, letting Nausicaä go on.

"You saw it... you were watching weren't you...?"she asked in one breath.

From above, she heard Shunhi's voice repeat evenly, "Explain. Why have you returned?"

It seemed that the lady in gold wanted to hear the truth from her. Nausicaä couldn't blame her for her being angered at her. Afterall, she wanted the best for both...

"The thing I've been dreading, that I saw in that dream, was about to happen... After I admitted and decided to love him, I just couldn't..." The words came out of her throat in tangles. She looked abruptly up to Shunhi, her eyes shimmering. "But would _you_ have been able to stand and see the person you love die for real! Would you!"

Shunhi did not answer yet again, but neither Nausicaä wanted to let her answer that.

"_I_ couldn't! Even if I had to die in his place...!" she lowered again her head.

The lady in gold regarded her for yet another moment, letting the room sink into a deathly silence. Then,

"Are you fully aware of you have done?" the queen with silver hair asked quietly.

Nausicaä nodded. "Yes. I know what I did. I defied the rule of not willingly taking my own life as a Savior; I have failed to tame my Darkness; I have doomed my world to eternal darkness and for these, I am willing to be punished. But," her voice became stronger and vibrant with wavering emotions. "but even so, I don't have any regrets! At least, I will never regret on giving my life instead of his... At least I know that _he_ is alive...!"

Now tears were rolling silently down her cheeks, the wave of feelings that she had tried so hard to hushen up inside all this time, broke free and overwhelmed her. Shudders and tears overtook her and she fell to the ground, crying and sobbing her heart out.

Shunhi watched silently over her; she neither made to comfort her nor scold her. Her eyes were yet still impassable.

"Are you fully aware of what you have done?" she asked again in an equal voice. She received a nod.

Then, without warning, Shunhi turned on her heals and with a swift movement, motioned the paper framed windows open.

"Look." she said simply.

Nausicaä raised her shimmering eyes and gaped, thunderstruck, a gasp escaping her throat as she saw what exactly was happening outside: The beautiful and enchanting landscape of Isekai had been now replaced by a void of complete darkness. All around them, plants, buildings and any other thing was slowly disintegrating and disappearing into thin, golden dust.

"What...!" Nausicaä couldn't even finish her question. She was aghast.

Closing her eyes, Shunhi explained. "Isekai was a world that should not have ever been created, and created it was for punishment for the failure and mistakes Chōki and I have done in the past. But now that the prophecy and history is trying to repeat itself and change the past failures, this old and now meaningless world has no use any longer. In the very moment when I run through Onizakura and Chōki with my blade, I have released this world from the curse which bound it. And by breaking the curse, I have broken the only spell which held Isekai in form and place. Yes, this world is now dying and falling apart."

As Shunhi fell silent, gazing out into the nothingness, Nausicaä turned slowly at the small podium where Shunhi had been sitting and looked at the figure lying there.

"Is that... him?" she asked quietly.

Shunhi too turned, nodded and walked up to Chōki. She sat down again and taking his head into her lap, began stroking his face and hair. It was impossible to miss the longing, loving and yet painful light wavering in Shunhi's eyes as she gazed down upon her love. And watching these painful eyes, Nausicaä suddenly felt a deep pity and respect for the lady in gold. To tame her Darkness, she had to kill her Knight, the person she loved the most in the world, with her own hands. The woman was undoubtedly fierce and strong, having been able to do such a thing.

Feeling the urge to say something in this deathly silence, yet not knowing what exactly she should say, Nausicaä whispered, "I'm sorry... But at least, you tamed your Darkness..."

To this, Shunhi raised her head. She smiled at Nausicaä in a sad and kind way and gently shook her head.

"No, you must not apologize. And no, I did not tame my Darkness. Stopped her, killed her yes, but not tamed. You see, I have never strived to understand my dark side and by understanding, I would have acknowledged and accepted her as a part of me. That is what by _tame_ is meant. But I did not. I was too intent in trying to end the battle quickly."

She grimaced to herself. "Well, the destruction of Isekai will be the gods' final punishment for me before I die..."

Nausicaä stared at her, shocked. What did this mean? She had always thought, had been convinced that in one way or another, she would have to confront Rucha and by doing so, kill her.

Shunhi smiled yet again and shook her head. "No, Nausicaä. To tame that Darkness of yours, you must first know why she came to be, understand Rucha's meaning of existence and accept her as a part of yourself."

"But," Nausicaä said, frowning, raking her brains. "but how? How am I supposed to...?"

The lady with silver hair sighed and, slipping gently Chōki's head of her lap, stood up and strode gracefully towards the confused princess. She extended a hand to her forehead. Her long, silvery hair began to swish and float and her golden eyes glowed.

And instantly, into Nausicaä's blank mind, a memory began play, a flashback in her past, bringing with it unbelievable feelings.

_Her father was lying dead on the floor. Tolmekian soldiers were circling him, towering down upon him. As soon as her eyes fell upon the motionless body of her father, an incredible pain made a pang and entered her chest, a complex pain of fear, anger, loss and hatred. And that pain took a new form: a blinding rage, fueled by hatred and a blood-thirst for revenge. But behind all this rage, an incredible fear was hidden in it's very depths, a fear of loosing her loved ones, a fear of being left behind and a fear of the changing world around her..._

Nausicaä gasped, stumbling backwards and hit the wooden floor hard. Shunhi was still towering above her, her hand still outstretched towards her, her face an impassable mask. The flashbacks hadn't yet quite finished.

_Now she was curled up on a chair, her beloved study enlightened with that one lamp on her desk. She felt a deep disgust, sorrow and self loathing. The hatred within her was directed towards herself, to her who had not managed to quench the desire of revenge, who had let herself succumb to her blinding rage. Images flickered through her mind rapidly; images of when she had brought down her blade upon the Tolmekian soldiers. How she hated herself for being human, how she loathed the human race for being so violent and yet so fragile to surrender to their own burning desires..._

And another...

_She saw the mountain of the carcasses and dead bodies of the many insects and Ohmus. Shock, horror, disgust and yet again hatred filled her to the top. Yet again, she cursed humanity for being such a cruel and selfish race, a race of only destruction and death. And she cursed and hated herself for being one of this loathing race..._

She doubled over, her hand clutching her paining chest, her pulse racing, her breath heavy. All this self loathing, hatred and fear was making her sick.

"Please..!" she gasped in pain. She looked pleadingly up to Shunhi, her watering eyes meeting Shunhi's. "Please... make it stop! I beg you!"

Closing her eyes, Shunhi inclined her head and lowered her hand. With it, her floating hair and the glowing of her eyes subsided, as did Nausicaä's pains. She simply lay there, gasping for breath, waiting for the pain to gradually subside, clutching herself. As it did, she was able to push herself upright into a sitting position, her palms pressed against the floor, sustaining her in a leaning position. She continued to pant for a while longer, her orange hair falling onto her face and shoulders, hiding her face from view.

Meanwhile, Shunhi had turned her back to her and made to walk away from the princess lying in heaps on the wooden floor, but stopped as she was called back.

"Why...?" Nausicaä simply asked the lady mere yards away from her with a weak, frail voice. She was still shaken. "Why are you doing this...?"

Shunhi turned just so that she could give Nausicaä a side look.

"Do you really not know why?" she asked quietly. "Is the reason not plain enough?"

Nausicaä shook her head furiously, frustrated. The lady must have a reason for doing such a painful thing to her...!

This time, Shunhi turned to fully face Nausicaä. "You are indeed blind, Nausicaä. Whether it is for the love of that Pejite or your simple naïvety, I do not know. However, I will tell you only this: I have just given you hints to the origins of your Darkness. The Darkness, your dark side as well as mine, is something which is born from you, from your deepest fears and pains. She is in short, all the things and feelings which you have discarded, pushed back into your depths of your heart, having only taken form of yourself. To understand, you must know the origins; to accept, you must face what you have been neglecting for all these years."

Her words left Nausicaä even more breathless than she had been before. She stared at Shunhi as her mind and brain began to elaborate and digest the newly given information.

Then, surprisingly, Shunhi came towards and offered a hand. She took it and the queen gently helped her up, her face once more kind and gentle. Nausicaä thanked her quietly, wondering what on earth had changed the lady's mood.

"It is nearly time for you to go..." Shunhi said softly, but then turned to a door at their left, almost expectantly. "Ah, I see that she has woken up."

Nausicaä too turned to the left as a shōjimado slid open, to reveal Lastel, her face quite blank, yet still carrying a slight somberness, and to Nausicaä's astonishment, garbed in her Pejite dress. And only now did she take in that the vast room was changing: already the corners of the room were beginning to fade and disintegrate into that thin golden dust. Holes were already to be seen in the fartherest walls, holes from which the menace of the cold, black void of the nothingness entered and slowly seeped into the room.

Lastel came wordlessly towards them and stopped just in front of Shunhi, to which she bowed deeply.

"You have my deepest of thanks, Shunhi-sama, for having taken care of me all this time and it has been an honour serving you." she said, still with her head bowed.

Shunhi took a step forwards and, placing a hand onto Lastel's shoulder, helped her up. She smiled sadly. "I see you have found your memory again."

Lastelle inclined her head, then passing Shunhi, came towards Nausicaä, who looked quite taken aback. This time, Lastel's face became softer and she smiled kindly at the Valley princess, a smile which she too returned.

"Nausicaä, I have remembered everything; from my brother to even you, when the Tolmekian ship crashed down into your Valley. And I know that you have become a very precious and important person to my twin. So, please, take care of him." Lastel said, smiling.

Nausicaä, still taken aback, was left without words, but was saved soon after the necessity in replying as from behind them, Shunhi chuckled softly. The two girls turned to look quizzically at the queen. She merely shook her head.

"The two of you do not need to say your goodbyes to each other." she said, earning herself even more perplexed looks. Quite ignoring this, she strode to Nausicaä and held out a hand, holding her golden fan out. The orange haired princess glanced at it, then to Shunhi and back again, thinking fast.

She frowned. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Shunhi smiled. "A protective charm. It fits you, Nausicaä, you who are a Kaze Tsukai, one of those few who are the beloved companion of the wind. Use this and even when the winds seem to have stopped, wind will blow once more at your aid."

Slowly, almost as if afraid, Nausicaä extended both hands and took the golden fan from Shunhi's hand. She looked at in awe, then looked up and met Shunhi's golden eyes, her own nut-brown ones shimmering with oncoming tears of gratitude.

"Thank you..." she whispered. It was the only word she found fitting to say. "For everything..."

Shunhi smiled again and reached a hand to touch her gently on her cheek. She slowly shook her head. "Oh no, I must thank you, Nausicaä. You have given the courage and hope I had lost all these years. Makotoni kansha shite oru." The woman turned to Lastel. "As for you Lastel, I am very happy for you that you have finally found your memories. You have been a dear friend and loyal servant to me and as close as a daughter I could ever have gotten. I am very grateful you have been by my side for this short period of time."

In hearing her words, Lastel looked as if she was close to tears.

"Shunhi-sama..." she whispered and the two embraced.

Nausicaä watched the two say their final farewells, her hands still clutching the fan. Then, a thought occurred to her, troubling her. Shunhi must have noticed, as she had turned her head towards her.

"Yes?" she inquired.

"If Lastel and I are going... what are _you_ going to do?" she asked cautiously.

Lastel too looked questioningly up to the queen. Shunhi smiled in a strange way, half way between a grimace and an ironical smile.

"I am going to stay here; I shall stay with the world which my fate created and will wait for my death along Isekai." the queen of Isekai said calmly.

The jaws of both girls dropped simultaneously, closely followed by individual protests.

"But-"

"No, Shunhi-sama-!"

But Shunhi held out one firm hand, stemming the flow of protests with a single shake of her silver head.

"No." she said firmly. "It is something I have already decided. Anyway, he has already come for you." And she looked just over their shoulders, as if someone was there.

Nausicaä and Lastel turned slowly to look behind and found Asbel standing just a few feet away from them. More shock and astonishment became visible in both their faces.

"Asbel...!" Lastel stammered.

"Asbel...? What are you doing here...?" Nausicaä asked dumbfounded, equally speechless.

The young Pejite prince said nothing; he simply shook his head and smiled. Meanwhile, Nausicaä had whipped around to stare at Shunhi, her face bone white, making a stark contrast with her orange hair and blue dress.

"Why is _he_ here!" she demanded in a hiss at the woman.

But Shunhi yet again ignored her. Brushing past them, she went and stood before the entrance, hands extended before her again. The three watched wordlessly as the lady in golden robes drew with her hands an oval circle, which opened in the middle, revealing a bright, misty passage: the Crossroad.

"Sa, yuku no jya." she said, motioning them to go.

Lastel bowed deeply and clambered first into the Crossroad; in minutes she had been completely engulfed by the thick white mist. Shunhi walked up to Nausicaä.

"You too." she uttered softly.

Nausicaä nodded, but before she went towards the passage, she threw herself into Shunhi's arms, hugging her tightly.

"Hountouni arigatou, Shunhi-sama!" she whispered.

Surprised, Shunhi didn't respond. But her expression softened and then she too wound her arms around Nausicaä, embracing her like a mother would do with her daughter. And like a mother she felt too: Nausicaä felt a warmth in Shunhi's arms that she felt she knew. As they disentangled, Nausicaä frowned, confused.

"Kaa-sama...?" she whispered.

Shunhi said nothing; she simply smiled and backed away. Still confused, all the Valley princess could do was to stare at the woman with silver hair, then Asbel gently led her to the opened Crossroad, which was slowly becoming smaller and smaller. Her body moved without protest as Asbel helped her into the passage; only her eyes refused to tear away from Shunhi's smiling, kind and beautiful face.

And before she knew it, she was slowly gliding through the passage, it's entrance becoming smaller and smaller as she was swept away. But her eyes snapped away from Shunhi to land on Asbel as she saw, to her horror, that he hadn't made a single move to clamber out and into the Crossroad. What was he waiting for! The passage was about to close!

"Asbel!" she cried out, her hand outstretched before her. "Asbel!"

But he simply looked down on her; his dark brown eyes painfully kind and soft; a sad, resigned smile playing on his lips. Then, his lips formed a word quite inaudible to Nausicaä, but even so, she caught the meaning of it.

_"Sayounara..."_

Horror entered her as she fell downwards, her horror-struck eyes never leaving Asbel for a moment, her hands outstretched before her, trying to reach him. Then, the thick white mist engulfed her completely, blinding her vision out. Her mouth was open, but no sound came from her throat. But even so, her mind, her body and soul were screaming one name.

_'ASBEL!'_

* * *

><p>Nausicaä woke up with a jolt, to find herself been wrapped up by a pair of strong arms. Her eyes widened as she found Asbel sleeping face inches from her own. Her racing pulse gradually lessened and became calmer. She gave a sigh or relief. <em>'Yokatta,'<em> she thought as she placed a hand on Asbel's cheek. _'It was a dream afterall...'_

She heard a squeak from behind her head and turning, she saw Teto squeaking at her side, bushy tail swinging back and forth. She smiled and moved her hand to scratch the fox-squirel at the back of the neck. As she looked at Teto, she became aware of the unnatural golden light that was surrounding them.

Carefully unwounding Asbel's arms from her shoulders, Nausicaä sat up and gasped. They were in the Toxic Jungle, as many blue plants of the lethal Forest were scattered around them. But the astonishing thing was the small bubble of golden tentacles that literally encaged them, protecting them from the toxic spores. The princess turned her head and found the baby Ohmu just to their right, from its mouth, all those delicate and warm golden tentacles pouring out.

"Ohmu..." she whispered, her eyes softening.

The young Ohmu made a crooning noise, its blue eyes reflecting the golden light of its tentacles.

"Arigatou..." she whispered to the insect, then turned to Asbel again. "Asbel... Asbel! Wake up! Look!"

She shook him lightly by the shoulders. Strangely enough, he didn't move neither stirred.

"Asbel...?" she called, a frown beginning to etch into her face. "Asbel! Wake up!" She shook him again. "Asbel! Asbel! ASBEL!"

But regardless to how much she shook him or called his name, Asbel didn't move. As if a bucket of ice had plunged deep into her stomach, Nausicaä froze. She sat there, surrounded by the golden tentacles, Asbel lying limply in her motionless arms, her nut-brown eyes suddenly empty as understanding dawned upon her.

Her shoulders began to tremble violently, in a dangerous way; her whole body was.

"U...uso desho...?"Nausicaä whispered, her voice dangerously high.

Tears began to spill over her cheeks, her face, neck, falling down like rain onto Asbel's face. She flung herself onto Asbel.

"Asbel, tell me this is a lie!" she screamed through tears. "You can't... you can't...! You promised we would go together! _YOU PROMISED!_"

There came no answer. She let herself be swept away by the terrible pain and grief; she released a full-throated scream, calling, begging, screaming Asbel back. But not once did he move, stir or give any sign of life. Even Teto could neither console her nor calm her down. Instead, the small fox-squirel sat beside her, his ears drooped down, eyes closed.

Suddenly, Nausicaä felt something warm and silky touching and caressing her wet cheeks. She opened her bleary eyes and found that the young Ohmu had come closer and was comforting her. As her eyes met the profoundly blue ones of the Ohmu, she broke yet again in tears. She cried and sobbed her heart out, letting the Ohmu wrap her gently up in its comforting tentacles.

Then, gently, the Ohmu began sending through its tentacles the images of how it came to be, leaving Nausicaä in what could've been a much worse state. She didn't cry. No, all she did was look emptily out before her, her hands stroking Asbel's head.

"Why, Asbel...?" she asked quietly. "Oh why did you have to..."

She bravely tried to hushen the raising wave in her, but ended up with streaming tears again. But she halted in mid breath as a thought, then an idea crept up in her still shocked mind. She slowly turned to the young Ohmu.

"Ohmu...you know...you helped him through this, haven't you?" It was a statement, not a question.

The Ohmu knew this and didn't answer, instead giving Nausicaä more strength and conviction. She went on, her voice as well as eyes becoming more desperate within the minute.

"Ohmu, please! I have to give him back his life! I can't stand the thought that he... he willingly sacrificed himself for me... That he gave me his life...! I can't...! Onegai!" she cried, throwing herself begging at the Ohmu. "Please, I have no right in taking his life for myself...!" she whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"Nausicaä, you should be grateful that Asbel gave you his life." a voice said from behind her.

She whipped around and found Lastel, transparent as a ghost but otherwise all right, hovering inches before her. Her eyes widened.

"Lastel... How...?" she breathed.

The Pejite girl shook her head, then glided swiftly at Asbel's other side, her hands gently touching his wrist. She looked exactly the same as Asbel, her soft dark brown hair slightly surpassing her shoulder. In her equally dark brown eyes, a mournful light played, yet she manged to contain her tears.

"It's feeble, but he has still pulse." she said quietly. She looked straight at Nausicaä, her eyes suddenly hard. "Nausicaä, you have to go! Now!"

The Valley princess frowned in return, but the light of hope in her eyes was unquenchable. "What! He's... alive!"

Lastel nodded, but briskly added, "But he _will_ die if you don't hurry! Now, go and do what you have to!"

Nausicaä's frown deepened. "What are you saying? What do you mean? I can't just leave him!"

Lastel huffed impatiently and Nausicaä could've sworn she saw these traits coming from Shunhi. She took a deep breath, then said, "I can help him stay alive for a little longer, but to save him, Nausicaä, you need to tame your Darkness."

"But-"

"Don't you understand!" Lastel cried, loosing her patience. "Asbel knew of his fate and destiny; he accepted it and fulfilled it even if you tried to stop him at the first time, where he was destined to die at the hands of your Darkness. Can't you see! He gave you his life to in the hopes you could live on and fulfill your own destiny, even if it meant for him to die! Be grateful, Nausicaä! Be grateful and accept what gift he has given to you!"

Her words left Nausicaä dumbstruck and speechless. She sank to her knees, then finally crumbled onto the forest floor, too shocked to move as Lastel's words took effect and sank into her. Lastel said nothing and after another huff, turned her attention her brother. There followed a deathly silence, even the Ohmu and Teto didn't dare to make a sound. Then,

"You're right."

Lastel snapped her head up, staring at Nausicaä in disbelief. Meanwhile, Nausicaä was sitting up, her orange hair falling over her face, covering her expression.

"You're right, Lastel. I'm sorry..." she said and raised her head, revealing her face to be smiling sadly. But the sadness gradually lessened, being instead replaced by confidence. "You're right. I had let myself be swept away by my own pain and feelings to see this." Her eyes softened. "Thank you, Lastel. You made me see what I was blind to."

Then she stood up.

"Are you going?" Lastel asked her, quite somberly. She received a nod.

Nausicaä started to out her breathing mask; she will be needing it outside the tentacle cage of the Ohmu. Then, she walked up to the Ohmu. And just then did she recognize the scars of its shell.

"You are the Ohmu from that time...!" she cried, then smiled through her mask. "Yokatta. You've healed; look how magnificent you've become, Ohmu! Thank you!"

And she rested her head just below one of its many blue eyes. The Ohmu, in return, raised a few tentacles and touched her gently on the arm and head, and crooned. In Nausicaä's mind, an image flashed. An image showing herself as a young girl and a small Ohmu, barely larger than her foot. She blinked as the image faded, then snapped her head up to look into the eye nearest to her.

"You are...!" she breathed. She closed her eyes and inclined her head, she touched its smooth eye with her forehead. "It seems we are bound by fate..." she whispered and she was sure she heard the yound Ohmu laugh.

Then she leaned away, moved down and crouched beside Asbel.

"Asbel," she muttered gently, squeezing his hand. "just wait a little longer. I'll come back as soon as I can, I promise. Just like you promised me back then, I promise you I'll never let go of the life you gave me." She looked deeply into his peaceful face, almost as if she knew he was hearing her words and seeing her. "Mattete, watashi no kishi...!" She bent over and pressed her lips against his forehead.

She noticed his sword laying beside him. She took it and, unstrapping it from his belt and sliding it through her own, she said, "Oh, and I'll borrow this one too!"

She smiled and looked at Lastel, who was equally smiling. "Take care of him, Lastel!"

The girl nodded. "You know I will. But Nausicaä, don't take too much time! I too have my limits."

This time, it was Nausicaä's turn to nod. But before she took one step out of the circle of gold, Teto came leaping at her and climbed swiftly up her shoulder. She gave cry surprise, but then took the small fox-squirel away from her shoulder and placed him down before her, shaking her head gently.

"No, Teto," she said kindly, looking into Teto's big, jaded eyes. "Not this time. Stay here and watch over Asbel for me."

The fox-quirel blinked once, then took a step forward, squeaking and making a noise which was close to mewing. Nausicaä smiled, as if understanding Teto's words.

"Don't worry about me," she said tenderly. "I'll be fine. Sa, iiko dakara..."

And obediently, Teto turned and padded towards Asbel and Lastel, settling himself between Asbel's shoulder and neck. He cocked his furry head to one side, blinking up at his mistress with his big eyes.

She smiled again under her mask, then with one last nod to Lastel and a glance at Asbel, she turned her back. She stepped out of the golden circle, her face set, as she began to make her way out and towards Rucha, her Darkness.

* * *

><p><strong>Now you've got to say that I was a good girl and kept my word, didn't I? *grins* Well, I can tell you that I wasn't not one bit tempted to let Nausicaä die. Nope. Absolutely not. And anyway, look at the state in which I got after I wrote that blasted death scene! Guess it was the wrath of you readers when I left you hanging there... *shudders* Beware the wrath of your readers...! Oh, and I'll tell you straight forward: Asbel's not going to die.<br>****But, even so, I hope you liked this chapter! And (four chappies to go!yay!^^) chp. 15, the long awaited final showdown! Don't you miss it! Oh, and remember, reviews are absolutely loved (but please don't kill me for being too cruel with the characters..!)**


	15. Chapter 15: Saigo naru Tatakai

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Finally! Chapter 15 finished! I'm so so so sorry it took me so~ long! Moushiwake gozaimasen!  
><strong>**Well, I hope this chapter will (hopefully) make you forgive the author who just can't write more faster! Please enjoy!**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Yami no Rucha yo: (Oh) Rucha of the Darkness  
><strong>**Orokana: You fool  
><strong>**Awarena: How pittyful  
><strong>**Nageku ga yoi. Omae no yami no naka de na: Grieve; in your own darkness  
><strong>**Watashi wa koko da, Rucha!: I am here, Rucha!  
><strong>**Owari da, Nausicaä: It's the end, Nausicaä  
><strong>**Chigau! Inochi wa yami no naka no matataku hikari da...! Subete wa yami kara umare, yami ni kaeru!: You're wrong! Life is the Light that shines in the Darkness...! All things are born from the Darkness, and into the Darkness they will return! (A/N this is actually a phrase which Nausicaä says in the seventh vol. of the manga. Sorry if it's a bit too long, it's one of my favourite quotes so I couldn't stop myself...^^)  
><strong>**Rucha, anata wa watashi no Hikari da yo!: Rucha, you are my Light!  
><strong>**Kare wa matteiru: He is waiting  
><strong>**Ato tanomimasu: Please take care of everything else  
><strong>**Mattete...Asbel...!: Asbel...Wait for me...!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: Saigo naru Tatakai~Anata wa Watashi no Hikari - Last Battle~You are my Light<p>

The Darkness snapped her head up, suddenly aware of her surroundings. She stood up abruptly; the sword which she had been examinging gently slid into it's sheath dangling from her belt. She was standing on the sand hills just before the entrance to the Valley and the Acid Lakes, giving her an excellent view by far. She let her blood-red gaze skim through the lake and desert horizon, a frown beginning to etch into her face. She breathed heavily in an out, testing and tasting the air and winds around her. Her frown became deeper, turning into a scowl.

_'Why...?'_ she thought as she searched the deserts around her, her delicate sense picking up things that shouldn't be... _'Why? Why do I sense _her_, why do smell her scent...?'_ She scowled even more and thoroughly ignored the flinches from the Kumians surrounding her.

Her intensely delicate ears picked up a drumming sound from far beyond the Acid Lakes and into the Sea of Decay; the unmistakable sound of million legs moving the giant bodies of thousands of Ohmus: they were coming. And not only them. No, hundreds of other insects were following the lead of their lords.

But that was not the thing for which Rucha was now most anxiously searching for. It was something else: _her_ scent, _her_ aura, _her_ presence... Yet the Darkness could not simply fathom why. She was sure that, when her Light had knocked that fool of her knight to the side and taken his place, her own blade had run through her. Yet even so, why?

Rucha had sensed when Nausicaä had died. Until then, that constant annoying presence in her consciousness had somehow subsided or even vanished. And now it had come back, becoming more and more insistent by the minute, which meant only one thing: _she_ had come back.

But it couldn't be... It was impossible...!

Rucha's frown deepened even more, her eyes becoming menacing eye-slits. She stood still, her hand gripping the sword's hilt so tightly, her knuckles actually went white. Her black wings moved and ruffled themselves impatiently and had she had a tail, it too would have been twitching in anticipation. A deep, menacing growl sounded from her throat, releasing simultaneously an aura which echoed her impatient and annoyed mood. The humans around her froze in their tracks or whatever they were doing and cautiously edged away from her, sensing the threatening atmosphere. She, again, ignored them completely.

And still the presence tingled in her consciousness. If only there were another, more stronger hint...!

She was thoroughly annoyed and distracted by the ongoing chaos the surrounding humans were provoking. Another ripple of threatening growl escaped her, but which now went quite unnoticed by the babbling crowd. Clicking her tongue in thorough displeasure and annoyance, Rucha turned to the constantly disturbed crowd of humans, her wings ruffling in irritation behind her.

She quietly approached the center and heart of the crowd in which that Kumian prince was standing. She didn't have to wait too long, as her delicate ears quickly picked up the ongoing conversation, so she contented herself into staying in the shadows of a whistle-wind tower.

"...Ohmus! The Ohmus are coming, along with a whole bunch of the other insects!"

"What! Again!"

"It can't be!"

"Are you sure about this?" A smooth, yet still fretted voice rose distinctively from the crowd, cutting all the other speakers out.

Rucha recognized this voice immediately: it was the unmistakable voice of that pampered and over-confident black-haired prince. He seemed to think he was in charge of everything, controlling and ordering about his people. He also seemed only too much convinced that he controlled, no, _owned_ Rucha in some way. Rucha had, even though finding him obnoxious as any human could be, let him live and live his dream out, believing he would be of some use. Would he end up unuseful or annoying her too much, she would easily bend him to her will; his fears and inner darkness as obvious as any other of the humans around there.

Along his side stood his sister, Sedona. Around the two, a crowd of swarming Kumians were surrounding them, all terrified to the bones. They had formed a circle around their prince and in the middle, a single soldier stood hopelessly in front of the Kumian prince, perhaps even more frightened than all the other people there together. His seeping terror even reached and was picked up by Rucha, who breathed in his fearful aura with pleasure. It seemed he was in deep trouble.

"Well?" Again, Nadasaru asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

The soldier before him barely managed to reply. "Yes... Sir...! The... We have sighted the Ohmu about a thousand miles from here, when they had just breached the margins of the Toxic Jungle. They are coming, Sire!"

Nadasaru regarded the poor soldier for a moment, his emerald-green gaze betraying nothing. Then he turned to look at the horizons beyond the Acid Lakes, his eyes becoming thin.

"No matter." he said softly.

Rucha had heard enough. She stood up and calmly walked over to the Kumian prince, her arms crossed. Sensing her, the crowd doubled away, suddenly all even more fearful. Rucha walked through the newly created passage made by the Kumians with all the indifference in the world. As if just having waited for her, Nadasaru turned to see her approach, a confident smirk playing on his lips. A smile which thoroughly irritated the Darkness and she had to restrain the impulse to incinerate this insolent human on the spot.

She lifted her chin up in a mutual "What?".

"No matter," he repeated again. It was directed to himself. "Now then, Yami no Rucha yo," he gestured towards the open desert and beyond it, the Forest of Decay. "Go and destroy them!"

He gave her a side look; an almost fanatic light glinted in his eyes as he waited expectantly.

But Rucha didn't move not even an inch. Instead, she threw an icy look at him.

"You dare ordering me, human...?" she asked very quietly.

Her cool words and her red eyes emanating cold anger sent chills running down the whole crowd's back. Even Sedona stopped dead, shuddering just as much her subordinates. Only Nadasaru seemed to be unaffected, having quite missed the message.

"What did you just say...?" he growled darkly, quickly hiding his initial shock.

Rucha turned to him fully, her eyes slits again.

"_Orokana_." she said, maintaining her voice quiet yet steady. "Did you really think I would obey to a powerless and feeble human like you?"

Several people gasped. Nadasaru looked abashed, suddenly fearful. Rucha saw with pleasure as his confidence slackened, then completely vanished from him, leaving an endless fear towards her. She smiled to herself to her heart's content as she felt his fear. She had found his weak point.

She proceeded. "Humans are indeed foolish and selfish living beings. You are after all a weak human who let himself be divored by his own hatred and desires. _Awarena_..."

There came a thud as Nadasaru sunk to his knees, his expression empty other than filled with shock, his eyes staring aimlessly before him. All other Kumians and even Sedona did not move to aid him, all rooted to the spot by their fears. That's right: Rucha's real power lay in controlling a person's fears and shadows.

Rucha slowly approached Nadasaru, raising her right hand up to hover inches above the prince's forehead.

"That's right...!" she breathed softly, making her words sound even more terrible. "_Nageku ga yoi. Omae no yami no naka de na_..."

A black globe formed before her outstretched palm. It sunk gently into Nadasaru's forehead. He gave out gasp, then fell down onto his side, his eyes pressed shut, gasping for breath as inside him, his most feared fears began to play in his mind.

Rucha smiled. _'An atonement for having tried to order me about.'_ she thought as she looked down icily onto the pained prince.

Then, as Nadasaru tossed again with a strangled gasp, Sedona threw herself onto him with a cry, crying out his name. Apparently she had broken free from Rucha's fearful aura.

"STOP!" she screamed. "Please, stop it! Nausicaä, please...!"

She looked up at Rucha with pleading eyes. Then, she realized only a moment too late, what exactly she had said. She glanced up at Rucha again, this time horrified. For a fraction of a second she had seen Nausicaä, that kind-hearted and compassionate Nausicaä, towering over her brother. But the person, no, the monster who was standing before was no near to the princess of the Valley.

Raven haired, black winged, with blood-red eyes and looking beautiful and deadly as ever, Rucha simply glanced down on the two human siblings. Her eyes were empty of all emotions other than a deep chill. She raised her palm, this time to Sedona's forehead. The human didn't even move, she had literally frozen with terror and fear.

Then, she lowered her hand. Clinking her tongue, she turned her back to them as a wind blew onto them, bringing something with it which earned Rucha's entire attention.

"I wasn't going to kill him anyway..." she said from over her shoulder.

She walked a few yards away, looking beyond the Acid Lakes and towards the Sea of Decay. She breathed in again. Yes, there was no mistake: it was _her _scent. She was coming.

And that wind... The wind shouldn't be blowing. Not only had Rucha stopped the currents, but also the Ohmu had... No wait...

Rucha sniffed again, frowning. The air and atmosphere didn't smell of rage or any anger at all. Were they...?

But then, the tingling and slight tugging she had felt at the corners of her consciousness gave an enormous tug, making her double in pain. She made a sharp intake of breath, and, clutching her head, she swept her burning gaze down onto the prisoners at the foot of the sand dune, her eyebrows thickly knitted together. It couldn't be...

And yet, she felt her presence now. She was here! She could smell her scent, she could feel her aura...! But where was she..?

Scowling now, Rucha walked down the huge dune and descended down onto the firm sand where Kumian soldiers were guarding the prisoners: Valley, Pejite and Tolmekian people alike. As she approached them, the soldiers didn't even look at her double. They knew, or else thought, she was under Nadasaru's orders and probably hadn't noticed what had happened to their beloved prince. But still, along with all other prisoners, they retreated away from her, fearful all the same.

Rucha ignored them as she had done with all other humans around them. She took a firm step forwards, her eyes trained onto the crowd, searching. But amongst the lot of humans, she couldn't find the orange head she was looking for. The Darkness scowled even more, her face becoming so grotesque and her dark aura seeped away from her in such way that anyone looking at her or was her in her vicinity, shuddered and tried to turn away, or else flinched as her gaze swept through and past them, wondering whether they would be next in the line.

Regardless, Rucha searched. She searched, skimmed, looked and tried to sense with all her might, but all unsuccessful. She was nowhere to be found. But then why did she feel her so near? Rucha was convinced and was absolutely sure that she was here, in the middle of the prisoners. But where...?

Soon, she came to realize that something was covering her, masking her. So she decided to resort to her only weapon: violence.

Without further hesitation, Rucha stooped and snatched out the nearest child, a small girl, by her pigtails and dragged her out from the crowd. The girl screamed in terror, batting and trying free her hair from Rucha's steadfast grasp; the prisoners began to make an uproar but were blocked by the Kumian soldiers. The soldiers themselves where quite perplexed as they threw Rucha questioning side-looks.

Rucha came at a stop just in front of the prisoners. The girl was still tugging and screaming about, something which annoyed her greatly. To quieten her down, the Darkness easily grasped at the small girl's inner darkness, instantly freezing her to the spot. Then, with one hand encircling the young girl's body and pressing her against her own, she took out her blade and brought it swiftly to the girl's throat, ready to slice.

The effect was immediate: A deathly silence descended upon the entire crowd. Nobody moved or indeed dared to breathe. Even the Kumians had gone still. The only thing that could be heard was now the whistling towers above as the wind blew in and the silent weeping of some women.

But then, somebody came forward. A man, deeply moustached and cloaked from head to foot in brown cloak and hat: Lord Yupa. And behind him, a little stout woman followed, also cloaked, red and blue gems adorning the hem of her cloak: the seer Obaba.

The Darkness didn't move an inch as the two came forwards and stood only yards away. She simply looked daringly at Yupa with icy red eyes.

"Yami no Rucha yo," Lord Yupa said, addressing Rucha quite formally and in an exceptionally calm voice. "would you kindly release that child? She has done no harm to you, nor have we as a matter of fact. Why are you doing such a thing? There is no need for violence."

Rucha smiled coldly, though this smile seemed to be more as a sneer to the others.

"I will. But only if you hand _her_ in. I know you're hiding her away, somewhere. Where is she!" She said, her voice carried lightly over the wind.

Yupa's frown deepened. "What do you mean? We are not hiding anyone."

Rucha had to bitterly admit that Yupa was not lying. She could feel it coming from him, she could sense and see the truth in his words. Frustration was building up inside her. She _had _to find her before...

She turned to the crowd, her hand gripping the hilt of her sword ever tighter.

"Nausicaä! Nausicaä!" she bellowed to the crowd, knowing that somewhere, she was listening. "Hear me! You come out this instant! Or are you so coward to watch this human die in your place!"

And from the now babbling crowd of prisoners, a single cloaked figure rose.

"_Watashi wa koko da, Rucha_!" The figure shouted and flung the cloak away, to reveal the orange headed princess.

* * *

><p>"Watashi wa koko da, Rucha!" Nausicaä shouted and with one hand, she ripped off her cloak, letting it fall gracefully to the ground.<p>

There came another deathly silence, but then instantly followed but an outbreak. Valley men, Pejites, Tolmekians and even Kumians alike broke into a roaring babble: some screaming her name, others yelling and the rest gasping or expressing their shock in any other possible way. Immediately, they formed a ring around her, trying to stop, make her back away. But she didn't move, her face set.

She took a step forwards, then another, and then was walking slowly, but steadily, towards Rucha. From her corner of her eye, she saw shock flicker across Lord Yupa's face. Then she was passed him and Obaba. She came at a stop just feet away from her Darkness.

"Rucha," she said in a calm tone. "Let Tena go. She has nothing to do with this."

The Darkness said nothing, but she lowered her hands. The motionless Tena slowly fell forwards and Nausicaä caught her before she sunk to the ground. She turned as Tena's mother ran towards them and handed the sleeping girl to the woman.

"She's all right." she said reassuringly. "She's only lost consciousness."

Crying quietly, the mother retreated back into the crowd, holding her daughter tightly. Nausicaä faced Rucha again. She saw a smirk widen on Rucha's face.

"So," Rucha breathed coolly. "You were alive. I thought I had dealt you the final blow... Clearly, I was wrong."

Nausicaä lowered her gaze. "He gave me his life."

She heard Rucha click her tongue. "Well, I have to say it was quite a waste of time. And life. You're going to die here, anyway!"

And with these words, Rucha swiftly took out her sword and pointed it's tip to her throat. Nausicaä recognized the sword, freezing for a moment: It was King Jihl's blade. In the moment she froze, Rucha took advantage of it and made a lunge, but Nausicaä was faster and dodged the swing, making a back-flip to the left. As she landed, she slid her own blade out from its scabbard: Asbel's sword, the one she had taken from him back in the Forest.

_'Asbel...please...! Help me through this...!'_

Before she could do anything else, however, Rucha had launched herself onto her with a cry, sword raised high above. She took in the blow, Rucha pushing her backwards as she pressed with her blade. With teeth bared or gritted, the two looked into each other's eyes and what Nausicaä saw, gave her quite a shock: Deep hatred and anger, but behind it, even greater pain were hidden deeply in the red, profound eyes of her Darkness.

Her concentration slipped and she was pushed back Rucha's force, stumbling backwards and hitting the floor with her back, a cry escaping her lips. Her own blade flew and sunk into the ground a few feet away, out of her reach. Rucha was on her in seconds, blade pointed down again.

"_Owari da_, Nausicaä!" she said.

She plunged, but the sword sunk into sand as Nausicaä rolled to the side, then sprang up, her sword again in her hand.

"Sorry, Rucha," she muttered panting. "But I'm not prepared to die now...!"

Rucha said nothing, beginning her attack again. There followed a series of shaking blows and Nausicaä managed to block or parry each one, but never quite landing one of her own on Rucha. Their powers and skills were equal, as Rucha was in every way other than her heart Nausicaä.

As they went on exchanging on blows and engaging themselves in a deadly dance of blurred blades, the Valley princess's blade managed to slice a cut on the Darkness's shoulder. It was a short, but quite deep cut. The effect of its aftermath was immediate.

Rucha snarled, jumping backwards, her free hand flying to clutch at her right shoulder. But someone else jumped back too, suddenly clutching her own right shoulder. Nausicaä gasped as the initial shock, then pain spread across her shoulder. She stared before her, her hand tightly clutching her shoulder, her heart beating ever faster. What was happening?

She moved her gaze to Rucha. Yes, she was clutching the same place as Rucha was, the right shoulder to which she herself had sliced through. The pain was incredible, even though the was no visible blood or anything.

Slowly, her eyes widened in recognition, a gasp escaping her lips. _'Even if there's no blood..., even if you can't see it... it's the same wound... Because...'_

"Because we're the same..." the words left her in whispers.

She dodged again as Rucha came bounding forwards with a snarl, aiming again at her chest. Even though the missed her by a hands breath, it still sliced through her arm. It still pained, but compared to what she had felt before, it was nothing. Her eyes flew to Rucha's face and undoubtedly saw her flinch back. She too was feeling the pain as herself.

"Because we are one..." she whispered again.

Rucha either wasn't listening or ignored her and lunged forwards with a snarl. Her blows became more heavy, more vicious, more desperate... Nausicaä parried them all, but never quite attacking herself. She began to dance away, desperately avoiding to cross blades with her Darkness. She knew why.

Seeing this, Rucha sneered. "Afraid are we, Nausicaä? Well then, let's get this over."

They eyes met and interlocked. And as hazel nut eyes clashed with blood-red, Nausicaä saw something that made her heart stop: deep, deep, sorrow and pain. And a fears, fears which she knew...

Something broke inside her.

* * *

><p><em>"Why do you fight?"<em> _A voice said._

_Nausicaä looked up. She was surrounded by darkness. "I... I don't want to fight..."_

_"Then why _are_ you fighting?"_

_Se hesitated. "I... I'm not fighting... I just want to understand her better... Because I want to accept Rucha..."_

_"Why accept? She is Darkness."_

_"Because... because she is me..."_

_"Are you saying that Rucha is you? That you are the Darkness?"_

_Nausicaä shook her head slowly. "No... Yes... I am Darkness. But, I am also Light."_

_"Darkness and Light cannot be together. It is impossible. Darkness devours Light and Life!"_

_"No!" Nausicaä shouted. "Chigau! Inochi wa yami no naka no matataku hikari da...! Subete wa yami kara umare, yami ni kaeru wa!"_

* * *

><p>Nausicaä gasped as understanding dawned upon her. Her eyes widened, rapidly filling with recognition. Now, she understood everything.<p>

The images which Shunhi had shown her back in Isekai, all the times when she had felt pain, flashed back in her mind. Before, she couldn't understand the meaning of these memories; now, she knew.

Rucha made a step backwards when Nausicaä looked at her, her hazelnut eyes gazing at her with so much emotions that Rucha looked positively disgusted. To hide this, the Darkness threw herself again against Nausicaä with a roar, aiming at the unprotected chest.

But Nausicaä ducked and made another backflip, landing just behind Rucha. And before Rucha knew it, Nausicaä had taken hold of her sword hand and twisted it behind her, her own blade ending up hovering inches before her vulnerable throat, just as Asbel had done during the training sessions back then.

"Rucha...I'm sorry..." Nausicaä whispered.

Her sword cluttered to the ground as she wrapped her arms around Rucha's shoulders and embraced her, like a sister.

"I'm so sorry, Rucha...!" Nausicaä sobbed, sinking her head into Rucha's back. "I have made you suffer until now... I'm really sorry! I know you can't forgive me, but... Rucha... Come back! Come back to me!"

The Darkness had lost all her words. "What... are you saying...?"

Nausicaä wrapped her arms around her even more tighter.

"I've just realized it. I have been pushing all my fears, anger, pains and all my hatred deep into me without even trying to understand them. And that Darkness, that distortion of my heart created _you_. Then, when you tried to escape out from inside me, I pushed you even more inside me and gave you even more pain to endure. I never tried to understand my own fears and Darkness, let alone tried to accept you."

"But I finally understood it. Darkness is something which must be together with Light, everything is born from Darkness and it will return to it. And finally, that if I don't face myself, I can't go on."

She disentangled her arms, letting them slide down Ruch's arms and stopping on her hands. Slowly and gently, she turned Rucha to face her. She looked straight into her Darkness's red eyes, which now showed uncertainty and fear, the blinding rage seeming to have subsided.

"I hated myself. I couldn't hold my own anger and hatred and let myself be blinded by rage, forgetting myself. But thanks to that person, I began to forgive and love myself again. Now, I am ready to accept my part dark, the part I have been shunning all this time." Nausicaä was gazing ever deeper into the pools of blood-red in front of her, her own hazel nut swelling with kindness.

"Rucha," she called softly, her hands gently closing onto Rucha's own hands. "you are me, Nausicaä. Come back! Let us live toghether! Please! _Rucha, anata wa watashi no Hikari da yo_!"

Rucha's eyes widened, a gasp escaping her lips. Nausicaä's words struck her, making her step backwards. Tears, incredibly warm tears welled up and began to spill out if her blood-red eyes, as she stared at the kindly smiling Nausicaä before her. Nausicaä embraced her again, more gently than before.

"Come back, Nausicaä...!" she whispered into her ear.

And Rucha broke. Tears streaking down her face, she wound her own arms around Nausicaä.

"Arigatou..." she managed to breath.

Nausicaä simply nodded and held Rucha in her arms, eyes closed, feeling calmly as Rucha began to return to her body. Bright golden light began to flow out of Rucha's body, generating a beautiful and amazing sight. All people watching watched this stunned and mesmerized. A final beam of golden light streaked upwards and high into the skies, ripping the unhealthy sky of before and subsequently ending the reign of darkness.

The clone body slowly disintegrated within Nausicaä's arms, leaving nothing but golden sand and the clothes she had been wearing. The Valley princess felt a strange, new, yet quite familiar warmth spread inside and, for the first time, she felt she was whole once again. She now realized just how much of herself had left with Rucha, and now had again returned. She brought a hand to her chest, closing her eyes briefly. _'Rucha...arigatou...'_

She turned as she heard someone approach her from behind, her orange hair billowing her face as she did so, and found Lord Yupa standing before her. Their eyes met, Nausicaä smiled sadly and to this her master nodded gently.

Looking far into the horizon, which was now bright with the renewed sun, Lord Yupa said through his thick moustache, "So it has ended..."

But Nausicaä shook her head.

"No," she said quietly, she too looking to the horizon. She turned to Lord Yupa. "It hasn't finished yet."

The swordsman frowned. "What...?"

Her expression softened. "_Kare wa matteiru_."

With this mere phrase, Yupa understood what she meant and let her sprint away towards the others. Not paying attention to the crowd around her, who now finally beginning to realize what had just happened, Nausicaä ran through the crowd to where her Mehve lay discarded at the margins of the group of people. As she checked its engines, Mito came running towards her, all jubilant.

"Hime-sama...! You did it! I knew you would-!" But he stopped in mid scentance as he saw the expression on Nausicaä's face. "Hime-sama? Where are you going?"

The orange-haired princess turned and smiled to him reassuringly. "I still have to save one person, Mito. Don't worry, I'll be back soon." And looking over his shoulder, she called to her master and the seer just yards away. "Yupa-sama, _ato tanomimasu_!"

He nodded and she too nodded in return, slipping swiftly her breathing mask on. Then, she flung herself onto her Mehve and kicked the ground hard. The Mehve shot high into the air and with a spirt of jet, was speeding away and over the Acid Lakes, towards the Sea of Decay.

_'Mattete... Asbel...!'_ Nausicaä called in her mind.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes! Finally! Nausicaä has accepted Rucha and tamed her!^o^ Now that's what I call the final showdown! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. But, we haven't finished yet! Still a bit to go; Asbel's still waiting..., remember?<br>****Oh and sorry for the long list of translation notes. Actually, I'd really like to know from you reading this fanfic. if it's any help what-so-ever, it would give also a good idea to which readers I am writing, like: "I already know jp, so either you stop putting these long tran. notes or I'll ditch this story"-people, or,"I'm studying jp. so I am grateful that you include jp phrases with trans."-people or, "well, I don't honestly care"-readers. Just drop in a comment just to tell me... or you can just ignore this painfully long author's note and just comment on the chap. Your choice! ^o^**


	16. Chapter 16: Inochi to Aoki Seijou no Chi

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: Oh. My. Goodness. (repeated for 20 times). This is the first time I had such a long writer's block! THREE WEEKS! I am absolutely sorry for the terribly late update!  
><strong>**Oh well, I guess the only way to escape the wrath of the readers and (other than beg for) obtain mercy and forgiveness, I think I should let you read on without any further interferences...  
><strong>**Disclaimer: No, still don't own "Nausicaä" and the hopes of owning it (even after my death in the long and distant future) is less than zero. Happy now?**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Onegai... Ikite...!: Please! Live!  
><strong>**Minna matte! Watashi mo iku!: Everyone, wait! I'm coming too!  
><strong>**Yuke, Nausicaä. Kaze to tomoni yuke!: Go, Nausicaä. Go along with the wind!  
>Naze: Why<br>****Chiisaki mono: Little one/being/person**

* * *

><p>Chapter 16: Inochi to Aoki Seijou no Chi ~ Life and the Land of Purity<p>

Nausicaä's heart was thumping an irregular, yet calm and steady beat as she flew at full speed towards the Forest. She maneuvered her Mehve on each new fast current she saw, bringing her ever closer the skirts of the Toxic Jungle. As she flew over the few hundred feet of sand which separated the Forest from the great desert, she saw the gigantic herd of Ohmus and all other insects, all hurrying in the same direction: Towards the Valley.

Nausicaä bit her lip under her mask, wincing down onto the Ohmus, and frowned. Their eyes were crystal blue such as she had never seen. Why? But she resulted to investigate later. She had only one thing on her mind in that moment, something which had been pressing her onwards ever faster: Asbel.

She gradually flew into the Forest, entering it on her white wings without much hesitation. As she had expected, the Forest was sound still, as all its inhabitants had deserted their home. She flew past trees and blueish plants without paying much attention, her eyes searching for that spot... And then she saw them, a few feet away.

Her heartbeat fastened as she flew towards them. Without waiting to land properly, she flung herself out, landing upon the soft ground and letting the Mehve glide away, then sink into a nearby bush.

"Asbel! Lastel!" she cried, hurrying towards them.

The young Ohmu was still there, encaging gracefully with its golden feelers Asbel, Lastel and Teto. As Nausicaä entered the golden circle, she gasped.

Lastel was in no good condition. She was close to transparency, nearly only her outline was visible, her hands still touching Asbel gently on the forehead, eyes closed. Asbel instead looked better; a healthier colour had entered his cheeks and face and was definitely breathing, even though he too had his eyes pressed shut. Teto was crouching beside the twins, quietly watching over the two. As he sensed her arrive, he stood up and ran lightly over to his mistress, squeaking.

Lastel opened her eyes and smiled weakly up to Nausicaä.

"At last..." she whispered. "I can no longer..."

Nausicaä let herself drop to her knees, thinking hard. "How..."

But surprisingly it was not Lastel who answered her but a voice in her head. _'You have to give him your blood.'_

Nausicaä widened her eyes. _'Rucha...?'_

_'Yes, it's me.'_ Rucha's voice sounded in her mind, all impatient. _'Now stop questioning and listen to what I'm about to tell you if you want to save that Knight of your's!'_ Nausicaä clamped her mouth shut and so Rucha proceeded. _'Asbel is still on the brink of death; the life force Lastel gave him isn't enough, because she is practically a ghost, which means she alone has very little life force. You, Nausicaä, have to give him half of _your_ life to save him.'_

_'But... That's impossible!'_ Nausicaä interjected, frowning.

_'No it's not.'_ Rucha stated flatly. _'Your own life and soul as been already split. We are now two, aren't we?'_

Her eyes widened in understanding. She nodded.

_'So, in order to enter his body, I'll have to travel in your blood. That's why you have to give him your blood.'_

Nausicaä nodded. She looked straight at Asbel, her face now decisive, all hesitation gone. She neared to him, on the other side, and slid out his blade from her hip. She brought it to her wrist and slowly, drew the blade's side upon the smooth surface of her flesh, so that it cut roughly long and slim, but still not too deep. Droplets of crimson red blood began to ooze gently out of the cut. Without minding the small sharp pain, Nausicaä raised her wrist and brought it to her opened lips.

Then, she began to suck her own blood. As the fresh, steaming blood made contact with her tongue, she made a small groan, the taste of blood and iron was revolting. But she didn't pull away.

She sucked until her mouth was relatively full, then she gently took Asbel's head into her hands and softly pressed her lips to his, opening her mouth just so that she could let the warm red liquid pass through her lips and into his mouth. _'Asbel... Onegai... Ikite...!'_

Trickles of blood began to fall from their interlocked mouths. Nausicaä had her eyes pressed shut, but she heard the slow beating of Asbel's heart in his chest, his rapid breathing and small, desperate gulps as he drank her blood.

Finally, her mouth was empty. Only the unpleasant taste of iron remained in the corners of her mouth. Quite unconsciously, she unwillingly pulled away from his lips and sat up, her hand still touching his cheek.

Then, quite suddenly, a wave of tiredness overcame Nausicaä and, as if she hadn't slept for days, she slumped forwards next to Asbel as a dark, sweeping void sucked her in.

* * *

><p>Lastel watched this quietly from the other side. When Nausicaä lay still, she sighed deeply, then smiled kindly down onto the two.<p>

"And so another part of the prophecy has been fulfilled..." she muttered.

Then, she looked up high into the Forest ceiling, which was now dotted with powdered blue light. She watched silently as around her, the blueish light began to rise from each toxic plant in the vicinity, beginning from the few droplets of Nausicaä's blood.

The Pejite princess turned her dark brown gaze upon her twin brother and the Valley princess lying together beside her.

"Shunhi-sama," she said. "I will watch over these two in your place."

She closed her eyes and let herself too be dissolved into the thin, blue light.

* * *

><p><em>She was standing in a huge, vast golden field, from which the golden tentacles released that beautiful golden light. A few feet before her stood a group of people.<em>

_"Father... Mother...!" she called, surprised._

_Both her parents, alive and well, smiled to her. Along with them were all her brothers and sisters. She saw Shunhi too, smiling a radiance she had never shown in Isekai, standing beside her Knight Chōki. And much farther away, a herd of innumerable Ohmus were there, all with magnificent crystal blue eyes. To her surprise, someone brushed past her, running towards the group of people and she found out it was Lastel._

_She called out to her. The Pejite girl stopped, just before her own father and turned, smiling kindly at her. Then all at once, still smiling and beaming, they turned all together their backs to her and began to make their way towards the Ohmu._

_"Wait! Where are you going?" she called and made to run after them, but she found out that her legs would not move. They were literally rooted to the spot._

_"Matte!" she cried, hands outstretched before her. "Minna, matte! Watashi mo iku!"_

_But regardless to how much she tried, her feet would not move from the spot she was standing._

_"Wait! Wait for me!" she shouted desperately one last time._

_Then, she felt a hand gently touch her on the shoulder. She looked back to see Asbel, he too smiling kindly._

_"Nausicaä..." he said softly and made to lead her away._

_But she didn't move. She didn't want to go! She shook her head. Then, she turned her gaze towards the shinning horizon and found that Shunhi had stopped and was looking at her. Hope entered her._

_"Shun-"_

_But the lady in golden robes shook her head in sad way. "No, your time has not come yet. Go, Nausicaä...!"_

_A slightly strong wind blew, shaking Shunhi's robes and long silver hair and as if the entire surroundings were a fragile picture, it began to disintegrate into fine dust, blown away by the wind._

_"Yuke, Nausicaä, kaze to tomoni yuke...!"_

* * *

><p>Strong hands were shaking her. Someone was calling her, desperately.<p>

"Nausicaä...! Nausicaä! Wake up!"

Nausicaä slowly opened her eyes. Inches before her hovered Asbel's face. As he saw her waking up, relief spread across his face and he smiled.

"...Asbel..." she whispered, a small smile also creeping in on her face.

She reached towards Asbel and placed her hand on his cheek. He covered her hand with his own, pressing them against his cheek, but he still smiled down at her. Then Nausicaä blinked. It took a moment for her to take in what happened. And then she gasped, sitting up, jolting away from Asbel.

"We're... alive...!" she whispered, half astonished, relieved and shocked.

Asbel nodded and, placing a hand behind her, he gently pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. She too wound her arms and buried her head into his shoulder. And so they stayed, each silently telling the other their feelings and emotions, all their worry and fear to lose the other.

"Thank you... Nausicaä..." Asbel whispered in her ear.

In response, she tightened her grip on him. "I thought I'd lose you forever..." She muttered as a sob overwhelmed her.

Tears were sliding down Nausicaä's cheeks like droplets of rain as she let herself be cradled in Asbel's arms. Then she raised her head slightly and met his lips with her own. He moved his hands to cradle her head, letting his fingers run through her soft orange hair.

Then they gently parted, Asbel's dark-brown pools gazing deeply down into Nausicaä's own hazel-nut ones. He reached out a hand to brush away her tears and as his hand brushed, then came away wet with a silvery substance, Nausicaä's eyes widened. She touched her cheek and found silvery tears clinging to her. In that precise moment, she became aware of the unnatural blue light coming from the ground. Where had the golden tentacles of the Ohmu gone?

To this, she soon found out the answer as she looked around and gasped.

"Asbel...! Look...!" she whispered.

All around them, the entire Forest floor and with it, all the toxic plants were shining and from them, light blue light which looked like powder was slowly rising from each spore of each plant.

"Wow...!" Asbel mouthed, getting up and looking all around him, his mouth literally dropping open.

Meanwhile, Nausicaä had rushed to the nearest plant, a full blooming Hisokusari flower, one of the deadliest, and was already examining it. Another gasp escaped her lips as she run her fingers on the flower.

"It's... These are the toxins in the plant which are... dissolving..." she uttered, utterly astonished. She turned to Asbel. "Naze...?"

It was not directed to him, but even so, he shook his head in response to her rhetorical question. But the answer came from quite a different person.

Nausicaä felt once again immersed into the warmth as the golden feelers of the young Ohmu touched her gently on her hand.

_"This,"_ The Ohmu's voice sounded not only inside her head, but also Asbel seemed to hear its words, because he turned to look at the small Ohmu with an expression of mingled incredulity and, yet again, shock. _"is your true power, Chiisaki mono yo."_

Nausicaä could only stare at it in response, words failing her completely.

_"Your true power, is the power to purify. Born from your blood shed for other's sake, it sunk deeply into the very roots of this Earth, returning to its original place. Chiisaki mono, you have finally understood what it means to live, and you have come to know its value. And because of this knowledge, you have strived to save each life you have come across, regardless of the distinction between good and bad, known or unknown, loved or hated."_

_"You are Life itself, Chiisaki mono. You are the Harmony between humanity and it's Place of Origin, the Forest and the Earth. Your destiny is to purify this land and earth from the poisons which have been harming the Earth from the very beginning and lead humanity into the Forest, the Land of Purity."_

The Valley princess's eyes widened and she turned to look at the Forest, still glowing with that pure blue.

"This... _this_ is that legendary Land of Purity...!" she whispered, awe, shock and wonder clouding her glimmering eyes.

Her eyes stopped on Asbel, standing a few feet away. He caught her gaze and held it, his dark brown eyes also wide with amazement. The two stared at each other, both speechless, for what could have seemed minutes, during which the revealed truth began to slowly sink into them. Then, slowly, almost simultaneously, a grin began to widen on Asbel's face, while a simple smile appeared on the princess's lips, her eyes brimming with happiness, understanding and comprehension all together.

And then suddenly, they were in each other's arms again, laughing, grinning and smiling, their joy and jubilation of the sudden discovery flowing out of them like a cascade of shinning emotions. Asbel's hands reached her waist and up she went, and he twirled her around, just like he had done months before. Laughing and giggling in delight, Nausicaä opened her arms wide and as he spun her through the air, she seemed just like a blue bird, flying joyously and free through the wonderous Land of Purity.

Then, Asbel let the strength in his arms lessen and he let go of her, only catch her again by the waist and spin her around, all the while laughing. Then he stopped, letting her slide down until her feet touched the ground, but never quite releasing her. Nausicaä gazed up into his eyes with shimmering hazel pools, to which he responded with equally swirling pools of dark brown, near black love. She reached a hand, then, standing on her toes, she pressed her lips upon his forehead.

"...Nausicaä..." The Pejite prince whispered.

But the Valley princess was prevented from answering back in any possible way, because Asbel had swiftly tilted her chin up and sealed his lips to her own.

There came a crooning sound from behind them and the two broke away with a jolt as the young Ohmu behind them brought them back onto firm earth. They spun around to see the Ohmu turned to left, it's golden feelers swaying and wavering before it, as if in a longing way. A mid second later, Teto had sprung up and ran over to Nausicaä.

"Teto!" she cried, glancing worriedly at the fox-squirell on her shoulder.

The poor animal was hiss-squeaking in a very confused way, all the while shacking his head and tail furiously, fur on end.

This time, Nausicaä's eyes glided swiftly to Asbel and was not at all surprised to see his brows furrowed and knitted together like her's, his eyes full of confusion.

_"You must go..."_ The Ohmu said in more than a whisper. _"They are calling..."_

Nausicaä and Asbel nodded at the insect simultaneously and without further hesitation, they began to make their way towards the abandoned white Mehve, then towards the Valley.

* * *

><p><strong>Ehm... Am I forgiven now...? *asks tentatively with puppy eyes* I really hope so...<br>****Well, I have to admit I've put a tinsy too much of fluffyness which I quite hadn't planned (sorry, for you fluff haters, I couldn't help myself...) And yes, another cliffhanger. Again, sorry about that. Just couldn't think how to end it in a really good way, so in these cases, I always resort to cliffies...  
><strong>**In the hopes for no more writer's blocks in the near future (two more chappies, by the way), till the next!****  
>And remember, reviews are always loved! ^^<strong>


	17. Chapter 17: Kaze to Tomoni

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: YES! The gran finale is up! \^0^/ Can't still believe that I finished the chapter so quickly! It's like a miracle, after all those delays...! It's a shame that when you finally step into the real flow of the story once again, after all the writer's blocks, you just realize that you're at the end... But it's not over yet... Enjoy!  
><strong>**Disclaimer: Don't own any bit of "Nausicaä"! Only the original characters are mine (well, that's why they're called **_**original**_**, isn't it?)**

**Translation Notes:  
><strong>**Mina, mite okure: Everyone, look  
><strong>**Hime-sama da!: It's the princess!  
><strong>**Kawaiisooni: Poor thing/girl  
><strong>**Iya!: No!  
><strong>**Mou daijou bu..!: Everything is all right...!  
><strong>**Mou, nani mo kamo ga...: Now, everything is...!  
><strong>**Tomoni, aratana kaze to tomoni...: Together, along a new wind...**

* * *

><p>Chapter 17: Kaze to Tomoni - Along the Winds<p>

Into the far horizon, a dark wave was washing over the gold of the desert, steadily coming ever nearer to the great dunes before the entrance to the Valley. A wave dotted with bright blue lights which were the eyes of the thousands of Ohmus, accompanied by the trampling of their million feet and the constant flapping of the insects' wings flying above them. Daiohyammas, Ushiyabu, Hebikera and many other sorts of insects where flying along their Lords. In short, a formidable battalion of insects which seemed to have been sent from the Forest itself, yet with no intention what so ever to harm or attack. Indeed, the Lord of the Insects' eyes were crystal blue as never before and even the other insects kept to themselves, occasionally chattering their teeth.

Never tiring, they eventually reached the Acid Lakes, yet still not stopping, they proceeded forwards, seeking what seemed the Valley itself.

At the sight of this overwhelming battalion of insects, the humans huddled on the high dunes began to panick. Some screamed, some pointed, others dropped to their feet, hopes lost, while yet the great part of the human crowd began to run for it, seeking shelter in the giant ship ruin at the dune's feet.

Yet as even the people of the Valley began to make their escape towards the ruins, a single man, cloaked from head to foot by his brown cloak and thick white moustache hiding most of his face from view, stopped and turned towards the immense wave coming ever faster towards them, his brows thickly knitted together. His eyes widened slightly, then furrowed yet again as he saw the great, buzzing and nosy dark wave come to a halt just a few hundred yards away from the ship and the dune, the Ohmus standing tall and still, while the other insects landing quietly.

"_Mina, mite okure_...!" Lord Yupa called to the Valley people, stopping even all other Pejite, Tolmekian and Kumians in the vicinity as well.

They turned their attention towards the still wave and they too stood still, holding their breaths, waiting for what was to come next. Their own shock and curiosity even managed to temporally forget their fear and fright towards these creatures. Even the ones who had already barricaded themselves in the ship ruins seemed have noticed the eerie silence and were peeking out.

Then, quite suddenly, something white caught the eye of the one-eyed man standing amidst his people. Mito spun around to see the white wings of his princess's Mehve sweep towards them. And there was no mistake; she was not alone.

"_Hime-sama da_!" he shouted, pointing high up, relieved in someway yet still anxious. What did the Valley princess have in mind?

Just as he made his shout, the white wings swerved and sped above everyone's head, as if about to land, only to turn sharply and down the dune and towards the Ohmus. Seeing their princess, her people as well as all others, followed suit and started to trample down the sand dunes.

* * *

><p>The Mehve landed gently upon the golden sand, making the sand slightly rise and blow away as it touched the ground. The orange haired Valley princess hopped swiftly out of the white glider, closely followed the young Pejite, who had been until now lying flat on top of the glider's main body.<p>

Nausicaä turned to see five Ohmus, tall and magnificent as ever, coming towards them. Almost simultaneously, Asbel stepped closer to her and she undoubtedly heard the slight clinking as he gripped his sword tightly. She gave him a warning side-look, then took a few steps forward.

"Ohmu!" she called calmly, her voice carried away easily by the winds. "Why have you come?"

_"Chiisaki mono yo, we have been looking for you...! We have been waiting for you...!"_ The Ohmu in the middle spoke, his voice sounding potently through for a few hundred yards.

Nausicaä thought she heard whispering behind her, but she didn't pay much attention to it, instead concentrating on the Ohmu's words.

"Me?" she asked, clearly surprised. "Why?"

The Ohmu's reply was far from clear. _"Because you are the One who will Lead. And because we are the Voices of the Forest."_ Sensing the princess's confusion grow, the Ohmu extended its golden feelers and through them, sent her images.

Nausicaä's eyes widened as images of the Forest raced through her mind, understanding. The Forest of Decay had expanded much, too much, covering now the entire continent. She could not hope to accomplish her destiny alone.

She nodded. "What must I do?"

To this, there came no reply. Instead, the other four Ohmus flanking the one in the center moved forwards, feelers flowing out of their mouths just as the fifth Ohmu retreated slightly, giving more spaces for the others of its kind. Their many feelers began to wound up the little being's body, then fully wrap her up. And she let herself be enclosed and surrounded by gold, welcoming their warmth with open arms.

And all around them, the people stood watching in wonder as the princess was lifted high up into the air, surrounded by golden fields, garbed in blue, echoing the ancient legend.

Only to be pierced by one ear-splitting scream.

Nausicaä snapped her eyes open and looked around, only to find a horrified Sedona clutching her unconscious brother a few yards away and before them, golden tentacles reaching at them... _For_ them...

The Ohmus let her down and she quickly darted towards the sixth Ohmu who had arrived, her heart racing in her throat.

"Ohmu!" she called, coming to a halt before the huge insect. "Please! Stop! Don't hurt them!"

It's eyes were ruby-red. New feelers flowed out of its mouth and wrapped themselves up to her waist, linking their hearts. At once, an overwhelming grief and rage washed over her. She staggered backwards, aghast.

_"Move aside, Chiisaki mono yo!"_ The Ohmu craved, pushing Nausicaä aside with her tentacles. _"This human...! This human has killed my child!"_

For a fraction of a second, Nausicaä was half tempted to stand still as her own grief and sorrow washed her heart as the memories of the slaughter she herself had seen in the Forest flashed past her. But then she was herself again. She gently shook her head.

"No, Ohmu." she said softly, looking straight up into one her giant ruby-red eyes. "Don't let the grief and rage in you devour your heart. By killing Nadasaru, you will not gain anything. True, he has made many mistakes and has committed unspeakable crimes, but from what he has done, he has learned that those actions were wrong. And we who have suffered by his cause must learn to forgive him. I have; I forgive Nadasaru for what he did. Will you forgive him, Ohmu, even if he has done a much greater harm to you?"

There came a deathly silence after Nausicaä's words. Nobody dared to move and neither the princess herself. She stood tall, looking calmly up to the raging mother Ohmu. Then, very slowly, the blinding red colour in the insect's eyes changed into the peaceful crystal blue.

_"Very well..."_ she sighed.

Nausicaä nodded gently, then turned towards the Kumian siblings. Her hazel-nut eyes were veiled once more by deep pity for the Kumian princess crouching before her, clutching her brother as if he were her life, trembling from head to foot. Her long, raven black hair hang loose and dishevelled around her, covering her face entirely.

She took an uncertain step forwards, then slowly began to walk towards her. Finally, Nausicaä reached her, but Sedona seemed not to have heard or even aware of her approach, as she was still crouching over Nadasaru.

Nausicaä's eyes became even more pained. _'She must've gone through too much... All this must have shocked her... Kawaisooni...'_ she thought, remembering the visions she had seen of Sedona and Nadasaru's past.

"Sedona..." she called ever so softly, trying to calm her. She touched her lightly on the shoulder.

Sedona made a start, spun her head around and simply stared at her with wide, petrifying jade eyes for a moment. Then, as she recognized her, she released a gasp, then a full-throated scream, crawling away from Nausicaä and giving her a pure look of terror.

"_IYA!_ Get away from me, you monster!" she shrieked at the top of her voice, trembling even more violently.

Nausicaä blinked, numb with shock, all thoughts cut down. She hadn't expected Sedona to react in such a way and now she saw just how bad Sedona's state was. The pity and compassion in her for the poor girl nearly redoubled and she had stop herself from crying right out. She wanted to say something, she _had_ to, but as she opened her mouth, only a half whimper came out of her, resounding her still state of shock. Then, she manged to take a step further.

"Stay away!" Sedona screamed in terror again, backing further away from her. "You have no right to...! You and those monsters! JUST STAY AWAY!" She was clutching Nadasaru's limp body against ever tighter.

Finally, Nausicaä found her voice.

"Sedona..." she whispered weakly, now not sure what to say. "It's all right... No one is going to hurt you or your brother! It's-"

But she stopped dead in her tracks as Sedona shakingly took out her brother's gun and then pointed at her, hands trembling as they desperately clutched the gun. As one, the crowd around them drew in breath, reinforcing the tensed air. Even Asbel was rooted to the spot; tense, desperate and yet hopeless as he was.

And yet even being held at gun point, Nausicaä couldn't feel anything else other than deep compassion for Sedona. She didn't even feel a tinge of fear towards the gun being pointed at her. All her eyes told the world were her pure feelings: compassion and sorrow.

She knew Sedona's fear and terror. She understood her. And all she wanted to do was to help her, save her from her own engulfing terror and darkness.

Her eyes interlocked with the one's of the Kumian princess. Still holding her terrified gaze, she began to step very slowly towards her. All the while she was whispering softly and gently, as if the girl in front of her was a very frightened, confused and yes, very vulnerable fox-squirel, bearing its small fangs at her in self-defence.

And step by step, word after word, the gun point gradually sank shakily down at least half of its original height. And finally, she was crouching beside her.

Nausicaä extended her hands, gently wrapping them around those trembling shoulders, and pulled Sedona into her, hugging her tightly.

"_Mou daijyou bu _...!" she whispered into her ear. "_Mou, nani mo kamo ga_...!"

Without warning, the trembling fingers on the gun slackened. The weapon thudded into the sand and the shaking white hands grounded themselves into Nausicaä's back as Sedona sunk her head into her shoulder, a torrent of tears streaking down her face. The Kumian princess cried all her heart out, all her sorrow, sufferings, fears and shadows of her heart left with the warm salty tears.

And all the while, the Valley princess held her in her arms, understanding and all compassionate. Little did Sedona know that a single tear had slid down Nausicaä's own face.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nausicaä saw the gold of the Ohmu's feelers glide gently towards the unconscious Nadasaru and wrap themselves gently around him for a moment, then retreat.

_"There," _The mother Ohmu's voice sounded, as if in a sigh. _"The impurity that has been poisoning his heart has been purified... But it will take him time to recover."_

Nausicaä nodded and gave the Ohmu her mutual thanks. Indeed, Nadasaru looked much more peaceful now and had definitely a much better colour.

All at once, everything seemed to be happening so distantly. She barely became aware that her arms were empty; she lifted her head up to see Sedona being led away by a few of the Valley and Pejite women around them, trying to comfort her, and the Kumian soldiers going at aid of their prince. She watched this silently, then, as she did so, a thought struck her.

_'We humans let ourselves be swept away by the currents of the winds. The winds gives us a path to walk...'_

She watched as Mito lead the remaining Kumians away.

_'At times, we are blown away by a slight, gentle breeze, yet in other times, we are dragged into the violent currents of a storm... We walk on a path we cannot see...'_

She felt someone approach her from behind, but she didn't even have to turn around to see who it was. She gently slipped her hand into Asbel's and turned around to look at him, her eyes softening.

"Yes, along the wind..." she whispered softly to herself.

Though quite not catching the full meaning of her words, Asbel smiled gently at her all the same and squeezed her hand. She responded with a warm, small smile, then turned her gaze towards the dazzling desert horizon, in which the morning rays were silently seeping into the golden sand. A soft breeze started to blow, making Nausicaä's soft orange hair and deep blue skirt flutter and sail gently around her.

"And now, _we_ will create a new path, a new wind, and will walk upon it. _Tomoni, aratana kaze to tomoni..._"

* * *

><p><strong>Now hold your horses! We ain't finished yet! Still one final chapter to go, let's say the happy ending of our sweet tale! If I'm able to write the last chapter before the end of the week, I'm truly blessed!<br>****I do hope you liked this chapter, even though it was quite short. Please send me your thoughts and comments! ^^  
><strong>**Until then... ^-^**


	18. Chapter 18: Epilogue

**"Kaze to Tomoni"**

**A/N: ... And here it is, the long-awaited final chapter...! \^0^/ Enjoy!^^  
><strong>**Disclaimer: Until the bitter end, I DO NOT OWN "Nausicaä"! Got that?**

* * *

><p>Chapter 18: Epilogue~Eien no Aki no Yakusoku - The Eternal Promise of Autumn<p>

Dusk had descended upon the Valley, bringing with it the long-awaited festivities. Lights were lighten all through out the Valley housings and the castle, giving the place the warm amber colours of autumn. People, Valley, Pejite, Tolmekians and even Kumians alike were bustling around, coming and going into the castle, bringing in and out food and all the other necessary equipment for the Autumn Festival. They were all working together, seeming to have forgotten the enmity between themselves.

Among them, the young Pejite prince was wondering about, searching for a certain person. But quite to his dismay, he could not find her. Not that he would have found anyone else in such a throng of bustling people...

Distracted as he was, he couldn't help it: As he set foot into the inner courtyard of the castle, in which the main feast and dances would be held, he collided head long into none other than his master, Lord Yupa, who had been currently occupied in helping out with the preparations.

But even as Asbel opened his mouth to mutter out an apology, the swordsman shook his head, chuckling.

"Where are you going, all preoccupied like that, eh Asbel?" Lord Yupa asked him, but again, he continued before his pupil could answer. "In any case, if you are looking for Nausicaä, you'll find her on the terrace."

The swordsman's eyes twinkled even more with amusement as he saw the priceless expression of Asbel that widened on his face as his jaw literally plopped open.

"Well, run along!" he said cheerfully and gave him a wink.

Then, as if to slip away from Asbel's attention, Yupa turned to Mito, who had just arrived carrying one large barrel, and he began instructing the man where the thing should be put, leaving the Pejite prince in a state of utter bewilderment. Then, he turned and began to make his way up to the terrace.

* * *

><p>True to Lord Yupa's words, Nausicaä was indeed on the terrace. As Asbel came up the stairs and onto the terrace, the Valley princess turned to him. She smiled, quite unsurprised at his arrival. Then, she let her gaze fall upon the merry chatting down below, Asbel joining her. They stayed there in silence for quite some time, watching silently as the feast slowly began, each enjoying the presence of the other.<p>

A slightly strong breeze blew in on the terrace, making Nausicaä's orange hair float lightly in the wind. Now that she was wearing her headdress, it emphasized the growth of her hair, now gently flowing out down past her shoulders. She had changed into her formal attire, complete with white long dress, belt and jeweled headdress. She had also replaced her usual bead necklace with the blue crystal pendant Asbel had given her.

Asbel seemed to have noticed it, because next second he said, "You're wearing the pendant..."

It was a simple statement and she knew it. All the same, she nodded, smiling and her hand unconsciously flew to the pendant. Her twinkling hazel nut eyes met his brown ones.

"Of course...!" she said softly.

Then, she closed eyes and breathed in deeply as she let the cool breeze gently blow into her face, then went back to observe the unfolding feast. As her eye caught her master, talking merrily with the old seer, she smiled.

"Did Yupa-sama tell you I was here?" she asked.

Asbel nodded and she felt a smile tug at her face. How very Yupa-sama-ish...

"I went to see Sedona, just a while ago." she said, her eyes trained unfocused on the courtyard below. "I talked to her."

"How is she? What did she say?" he asked, concern in his voice.

She sighed, a small sad smile tainting her lips. "She's all right. But she's still shaken by what's all happened to her and her brother. I don't blame her that she didn't want to come to the festival, instead tending to Nadasaru."

After that, the two fell silent again, not knowing what to say. Nausicaä occupied herself by watching the various people and guests being entertained, while Asbel began playing around with Teto. Time seemed to pass endlessly around them, and still none of them spoke.

Then, at last, Asbel drew breath.

"Nausicaä..."

She snapped her head up and thrust her hazel nut gaze at him, almost as if she had just been waiting for him to speak. Her face was lit by the warm lantern light coming from below, making her eyes twinkle. The clouds above them drifted apart by the winds and as they did, the magnificent silvery light of the moon in its full splendor pool down upon the two.

Asbel caught himself be literally drowning into those eyes, in which he could see all the stars twinkling and shining up at him. He marveled as how the silvery moonlight from above and the warm yellow lantern light from below touched harmoniously on her soft skin, how they made her usually orange hair look fiery red on one side and on the other pearly orange. It took his breath away how beautiful she was and he nearly abandoned himself in just staring dreamily at her. But then she tilted her head to one side as curiosity and wonder washed into her eyes.

"Asbel?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me?"

The words were out before he could stop himself.

"Because... you are beautiful..." he whispered.

Nausicaä's cheeks coloured gracefully rosy red. She thanked the heavens that the lantern light was strong enough to disguise her blush and to hide her blazing cheeks, she turned again to face the feast below.

She heard his shuffling feet as he neared to her, her pulse racing... then gradually lessening again as he placed a gentle hand on her own propped on the cold stone of the balcony railings. He settled behind her, he too gazing down at the merry courtyard. Nausicaä closed her eyes as she felt the welcoming warmth of his hand and she squeezed it without thinking. She rested her head lightly on to his shoulder, her eyes staring dreamily at the landscape before her.

"Nausicaä?" Asbel said softly in her ear. "Do you know what the pendant I gave you symbolized for the ShinLaputans?"

Having been asked, Nausicaä raised her and looked at him, a questioning frown etching on her face. She shook her head, making him chuckle.

"I thought so..." he muttered, then went on. "The ShinLaputians would give such a crystal to the one who was dearest to them and along it, an eternal promise."

Eternal promise. It didn't take long for Nausicaä to understand the full meaning of Asbel's words. Her hand drifted up to touch the pendant as she smiled to herself. She closed her eyes briefly; when she reopened them, they were already looking up at Asbel.

She took a step closer.

"Then," she said ever so quietly, her hazel nut gaze never leaving Asbel's dark brown ones. "It's time for me to accomplish my part..."

With three small steps, she was standing only a hands breath away from him. She reached up towards his face and let them hover for a fraction of a second.

"You gave me the Aerthium pendant. Now,"

Her hands curled behind his head and neck.

"I will give you my promise."

She let her face drift upwards so that their eyes were level.

"This is my promise, Asbel...," she whispered ever so softly, her eyes gently closing. "My eternal promise of autumn..."

And her lips were on his, sealing the princess's promise of eternity.

* * *

><p>How long they stayed on the terrace, neither of them knew nor cared. Time passed on, yet they still did not release each other. Eventually, the notes of melodies and music began to drift up from the courtyard as the people began to dance.<p>

So did Asbel and Nausicaä. With every new tune, they began to dance, twirl and skip around the terrace, their hands intertwined just as were their gazes were. They slowly began to edge towards the stairs and suddenly, they were on the dance floor, with everyone else dancing along them.

But song after song, the dancing pairs lessened steadily until the two were the only ones left on the dance floor: All others had retreated, contentedly watching the pair; some with surprise, others with interest while many others simply watched with a grin or a broad smile stamped on their faces.

Yet regardless of the many eyes following them with each turn or step they made, neither Asbel or Nausicaä seemed to care. In fact, they even seemed not even to notice, so deep were their own attention and thoughts snagged into the other's. The dark brown pools had never broken contact with the hazel nut ones.

One song ended and soon a new one was played; this time one of Pejite's infamously brisk tunes. Their dance changed and swiftly adapted to the new melody. And as the tune steadily picked up speed, they found themselves engaged in a fierce, brisk and lively dance.

Teto, who had until now been running and skipping up and down the two, found it now impossible to remain on any of the fast-moving bodies and with a leap, he snatched his little furry body away from the fierce dance. The fox-squirrel skidded away as fast as his small paws could carry him before someone could "accidentally" step over his precious tail, seeking shelter in the swordsman's old hat, propped onto a table.

Seeing this, Yupa chuckled, interrupting his deep conversation with Kushana. "I see it's even unbearable to you, Teto!"

The fox-squirel gave him an indignant squeak as an answer, then turned his green jaded gaze again at his mistress. This made even the Tolmekian commander smirk and she too began to watch the pair.

The song reached its peek and the two dancers became nearly only a blur as they turned, skipped and twirled, all the while accompanying their dance with the sound of the shuffling feet.

And then finally, they stopped abruptly in perfect synchronicity with the song's end. The crowd broke into a clamours cheer, clapping and whistling, bringing Asbel and Nausicaä upon firm earth. Both panting heavily, they looked around in disbelief, though of what they were astounded about was quite unclear.

They turned to look at each other again, Asbel's eyes twinkling in a way that made Nausicaä suspicious as she became suddenly aware of her very warm cheeks.

And without warning, Asbel leaned over her and kissed her under the eyes of the whole Valley as well as all other people. Mind going blank, the only she did instinctively was wrap her arms around him, deepening the kiss.

The cheers instantly became a roar of cheers, laughter, voices, whistles and hooting mixed all together. For them, they were as good as married.

When they finally broke away, they looked slightly timidly around. But then, being welcomed with all that laughter and merriment, they were soon swept away and they too began to laugh and brim with happiness, though their faces were still slightly flushed.

All was well and the moon beamed upon the newly found happiness, blessing them with her full radiance.

* * *

><p>And so yet another part of the long-awaited prophecy has come to be. But it is not over yet, for this has only been the beginning, a mere part of the great legend of the Blue Clad One: After this, Nausicaä and Asbel will have to face many other difficulties, will have to make many other journeys and have many other adventures to finally fulfill their destiny. But this is another tale, a tale to be told in yet another new story... The next story, perhaps...<p>

THE END

* * *

><p><strong>Afterword:<strong>

**Well people, what do you expect me to say? I am quite beyond realization that I've done it! I've finished "Kaze to Tomoni". It's done.  
><strong>**It's quite unbelievable, only yesterday I was still thinking on how to end it... And then suddenly... it's finished! I don't know how other writer and authors feel when one of their long work has been finally completed, but... I just feel wonderful, yet a little sad and with the feeling that I just want to write more!****  
>From when "Kaze to Tomoni" started, from the point in which I wrote down the first words of this story, I've been sitting each day for fourteen weeks at the computer, typing, writing, creating and working on this tale. It was quite a work, now that I think of it... Quite a few times throughout writing, I found myself be distracted by other stuff, but it never crossed my mind to dump writing this fic; I love it too much!<br>****Speaking of this story, you might have noticed how I ended the prologue and if you just happened to have this question, I can answer straight forward: It's not over yet. And yes, there will be a sequel, but I can't promise one in the near future (sorry about that). It's just that I need a break; I've been inside Nausicaa's world too much and I have the feeling that if I stay a moment longer, it's going to turn into an out of character story, ruining my whole effort in keeping the characters and world in place. But the sequel will come, you have my word.^^  
><strong>**As for the next story I will write, I can already tell you that I'm planing to roam in the Ghibli and Miyazakian world a little longer. But as to which fandom, I can't really say yet, though I'm leaning on a **_**spirited away**_** story for the moment. But again, I can't promise you anything yet... Just keep your eyes open for any next stories (I'll be announcing upcoming stories on by profile)!^^  
><strong>**Right, I think that was all I wanted to say as a comment; now to the acknowledgements: A HUGE thank you, along with three hugs and three kisses, to Ponycrazy7597, who has been following "Kaze to Tomoni" from the very beginning and has warmed me up with each of her very welcomed long reviews! Thank you!  
><strong>**Also, a thank you to all of those who have added this story or even me as a favourite of theirs (seriously, I'm honoured!).  
><strong>**And finally, thank you to you, Reader, who has had the paitience to read this humble story of mine until the very end. Hontouni arigatou gozaimashita! \^0^/**

**Until the next,  
><strong>**Shimotsuki no Miko**

**(p.s. sorry for this definitely unbearable long afterword...!)**


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